Alphaxone – Ghost Machine (Album – Cryo Chamber)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematographic.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Iranian artist Mehdi Saleh has released a countless number of albums and collaborative productions over the past ten years. “Ghost Machine” is his newest solo-work revealing nine new cuts.
Content: Alphaxone achieved a new sonic exposure as an imaginary bridge between pure Dark-ambient and freaky cinematographic music. It’s a dark composition, which brings the listener quite instantly into a state of fear. The tracks are progressively evolving towards a more elaborated final part. Resonating sounds and obscure noises are merged with refined astral bleeps right at the end of the work.
+ + + : Mehdi Saleh is a prolific artist, but I’m really fascinated how he holds on the quality of his productions at a very high level. “Ghost Machine” is dark work and I even dare to say his darkest production ever. The tracks have been progressively built up to a phenomenal final part. “Aftershock” and “Dissolution” create an imaginary apocalyptic apotheosis with a strong visual strength. There’s an impressive and overwhelming power emerging from the sound treatments, but you’ll also notice subtle sound arrangements in the background.
– – – : I’m not saying that the debut part of the work is monotonous, but the best cuts are right at the end. So, it takes a bit of time and a few tracks before Alphaxone reveals its best side.
Conclusion: Alphaxone remains faithful to its familiar sound and music approach although the artist is constantly trying to put different accents in his production. This is a magnificent work.
Best songs: “Aftershock”, “Dissolution”, “Underneath”, “Derelict”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/alphaxone
Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber
About Alphaxone
Alphaxone is the dark ambient project of Iranian musician Mehdi Saleh. Releases started in 2010 with “Elliptical Mono-X” and “Nucleus MS-106” on Amduscias Records, followed by “Portal” and “Exploration” in 2011 and “Azimuth” in 2012.
Saleh joined the Cryo Chamber roster and contributed to the label’s Lovecraft collaboration series, including “Cthulhu” (2014), “Azathoth” (2015), “Nyarlathotep” (2016), “Shub-Niggurath” (2018), “Yig” (2020) and “Dagon” (2021). He also released the joint album “Stardust” with protoU in 2017.
“Ghost Machine” was issued on CD by Cryo Chamber in 2021. Later solo work includes the EP “Underneath” (2022), “Subdistance” (2023) and “Dark Complex Part II” (2024).
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