Lennart Östlund

Known for Sound

Biography

Lennart Östlund, born in 1956 in Järfälla, Sweden, is a sound engineer and producer best known for his work at the legendary Polar Studios in Stockholm. He played a key role in shaping the sound of some of Sweden’s most prominent artists during the 1970s and 1980s. Östlund began his career as a sound engineer at Polar Studios when it opened in 1978. Together with colleagues Leif Mases and Michael B. Tretow, he helped create what became known as “The Good Sound.” The studio quickly became a hub for both Swedish and international artists. During his time there, Östlund worked with artists and groups such as ABBA, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Rammstein, Roxette, Ted Gärdestad, and Celine Dion. Östlund is a strong advocate of the concept of "albumism," which views the LP as an art form where each song contributes to a cohesive whole. He believes that the evolution of recording technology has driven the development of music itself. With the advent of multitrack recording systems, producers and artists were able to experiment more freely, opening the door to new musical expressions. Since the closure of Polar Studios in 2004, Östlund has remained active in the music industry. He has worked with the band Neweva from Värnamo, producing their EP, and has participated as a speaker at conferences such as Future Echoes, where he discussed the evolution of music production and his own career.