Alphaxone & Protou – Back To Beyond (Album – Cryo Chamber)
Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient, Experimental.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: “Back To Beyond” is the second album composed as a collaboration between Iranian Mehdi Saleh (Alphaxone) and Ukrainian Sasha Cats (ProtoU). The album has been released four years after “Stardust”, both artists also have worked with countless other artists while releasing their own solo-albums.
Content: I experienced “Stardust” rather as a soundscape while the new work sounds more diversified. It remains a dark Cinematic journey carried by obscure tones, buzzing sound waves and field recordings, but I also noticed droning effects and Electronic sound manipulations reflecting a true minimal approach right at the final part of the work.
+ + + : Both artists became experienced musicians who’re used to working with other artists and especially label mates. There’s a true symbiosis between both sound universes, but I think this album goes much further than “Stardust”. It’s different and incomparable, but I prefer this album’s diversity. I like the surprising minimalistic sound treatments running through “Myriad Disguises”, which sounds like an unexpected finale. Another great cut is “Dreams Of Solace” carried by drone effects and repetitive sequences.
– – – : Collaborative efforts between label mates resulting in albums make the particularity of Cryo Chamber, but there isn’t always a true chemistry. It sounds like there’s something special between Alphaxone and ProtoU so move on working together guys instead of other collaborations.
Conclusion: This album makes me think of a dark and contemporary approach of Wim Wenders.
Best songs: “Myriad Disguises”, “Dreams Of Solace”, “Future Underground”, “Through The Golden Dust”.
Rate: 8.
Artists: www.facebook.com/alphaxone / www.facebook.com/protoudrone
Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com / www.facebook.com/CryoChamber
About Alphaxone & ProtoU
Alphaxone is the dark ambient project of Iranian musician Mehdi Saleh. ProtoU is the project of Ukrainian musician Sasha Puzan, credited under that name on the release. Both record for the American label Cryo Chamber, run by Simon Heath.
“Back To Beyond” was issued on 4 May 2021 in digital and CD formats. Mehdi Saleh and Sasha Puzan wrote, produced and performed the material, while Simon Heath handled mastering and artwork. The eight tracks are “Future Underground”, “Dreams Of Solace”, “Quantum Zero”, “The Edge Of Perception”, “Through The Golden Dust”, “Regenesis”, “Delusions Of Omniscience” and “Myriad Disguises”.
The pair first worked together on the 2017 album reviewed here as Alphaxone & ProtoU – Stardust, and joined Onasander for Alphaxone + ProtoU + Onasander – Shadows Of Forgotten Legends (Album – Cryo Chamber) in 2020. Both also contributed to Cryo Chamber Collaboration – Yig (Album – Cryo Chamber) in May 2021.
Solo work continued on either side of “Back To Beyond”: Alphaxone released Alphaxone – Ghost Machine (Album – Cryo Chamber) in January 2022, and ProtoU released ProtoU – Memory Alpha (Album – Cryo Chamber) in April 2022. More recent entries include Alphaxone – Subsynthetic Pulseforms (Digital/CD Album – Cryo Chamber) and ProtoU – Dark Orbit (Digital/CD Album – Cryo Chamber).
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