RNGMNN – False Dawn (Album – Winter-Light)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematographic.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Ronny Engmann (RNGMNN) strikes back with a new album, which is the German artist’s second opus released by Winter-Light.
Content: RNGMNN moves on the desolate atmosphere revealed at his previous album “Arctic Interference”. The tracks have been progressively built up, revealing a Cinematographic approach mixed with isolated drones. You now and then will notice subtle, icy blasts, which are resulting in a few true climaxes. The tracklist is little by little evolving till reaching an impression of desolation and horror (cf. “Up North”).
+ + + : The front cover stands for the feeling of desolation and despair. The composition is meticulously worked out and elaborated; the tracks revealing a detailed canvas of noises and effects. It all together creates a sphere of nearby disaster, a kind of sonic apocalypse, which is mainly emerging at “Fragile Ground” and “Up North”. The drones in the background are accentuating the visual strength of the work. The composition is pretty efficient and will definitely give you goosebumps.
– – – : The title track, which also is the opener of the album is not exactly the most accomplished and efficient cut of the work.
Conclusion: RNGMNN is clearly confirming its growing status as a talented Dark-Ambient artist.
Best songs: “Fragile Ground”, “Up North”, “Nebula”, “Down South”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: https://1mhz.org / www.facebook.com/rngmnndarkambient
Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1
About RNGMNN
RNGMNN is the dark-ambient project of Berlin-based German musician Ronny Engmann, who also records chiptune material as dalezy; Discogs lists further aliases including Hyrmnll and Synth Ethic and a run of netlabel EPs from 2002 onward on Enough Records and 1798, collected on “Selected Dark Ambient Works (98-14)” in 2014. In 2019 he released Sector Hydra with Dronny Darko on Cryo Chamber, the CDr “The Devil’s Yell” on Noctivagant and, on the Dutch label Winter-Light, “Arctic Interference”, reviewed on Side-Line in January 2020. He has also taken part in the annual Cryo Chamber Collaboration albums from “Yig” (2020) onward.
“False Dawn” was released by Winter-Light on 12 March 2021 as a limited CD and download. The eight tracks are “False Dawn”, “Down South”, “Bleak And Empty”, “Fragile Ground”, “Nebula”, “Confusion And Illusion”, “Up North” and “Stardust”. Engmann composed all music; the album was mastered at Cruel Sound Works and Midnight Sun Studio made the cover artwork and design.
The album was reworked by other artists on False Dawn: Falsified (2023), Winter-Light’s fiftieth release, reviewed on Side-Line in November 2023. Never Sleep Again, a collaboration with Berlin vocalist Karina Dorin, followed on the same label and was reviewed in March 2024, and Discogs lists the limited CD “Illumination Phases” on Winter-Light for 2026. “False Dawn” is Engmann’s second solo album for the label.
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