German artist Stefan Voß has been releasing music steadily since 2013. At the end of last year, he returned with a new work built around the concept of the Earth oscillating between inferno and frost.

This concept is translated into nine tracks, with an additional bonus track included in the digital edition. Deep, overwhelming waves of sound are unleashed, as if an imaginary dam were slowly beginning to burst—first releasing a merciless mass of water, then dissolving into a dense sonic mesh. The atmosphere is grim and obscure, successfully unsettling the listener. Argyre Planitia remains a project with a strong visual character, particularly evident in the album’s first half. The second part sounds somewhat softer, conveying a sense of desolation and dark serenity.

Positioned somewhere between Dark-Ambient and Cinematic soundscapes, Stefan Voß continues to articulate his ideas convincingly, even if this release does not strike me as his strongest work to date. (Rating:7).

Listen to “Multicellular Life”:

https://winter-light.bandcamp.com/track/multicellular-life

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Two years after RGNMNN last album “The False Dawn” we get a revisited edit of the work featuring collaborations with other artists.

Content: The work sounds as an addition to the successful “False Dawn”-album. The tracks remain driven through Dark-Ambient influences and Cinematic passages but still by inhibited atmospheres. Quite logically the album is more varied than the original edit. Line Spectrum, Nam-Khar + Sielwolf, Sysselmann, Gydja, Tineidae, Gdanian, Onasander and Argyre Planitia collaborated on this opus by achieving reworked or remixed versions.

+ + + : Remixes and reworked versions by other artists are quite unusual for this kind of music and scene so in the end it’s pretty innovative. The reworked edits and remixes are holding on the original spirit of RNGMNN while adding a little extra. I enjoyed the apocalyptic reworked edit of “The Dawning Of Falsehood” by Nam-Khar and Sielwolf but also the remix of “Confusion & Desillusions” by Sysselmann, the evasive reworked version of “Bleak And Empty” by Tineidae and the Industrial/Drone-like “Down South”-remix by Gdanian.

– – – : This work also celebrates the fiftieth release by Winter-Light featuring a great artist, an interesting concept in this genre of music but definitely not the best album of Ronny Engmann. The original “False Dawn”-album remains better.

Conclusion: An interesting- and surprising addition to the “False Dawn”-album featuring a cool selection of artists.

Best songs: “The Dawning Of Falsehood – Sielwolf & Nam-Khar Re-Shape”,  “Confusion & Desillusions –  Sysselmann Remix”, “Bleak And Empty – Tineidae Rework”, “Down South – Gdanian Mix”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: https://1mhz.org

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Released by the end of 2022, “The Great Dark Spot” must be the seventh full length album by Argyre Planitia. This German solo-project is driven by Stefan Voß releasing his second work on Winter-Light.

Content: We embark on a dark, sonic travel throughout obscure and tormented atmospheres. Low tones, vibrating sounds, echoing drones, metallic noises and field recordings create all together a dense sound spectrum.

+ + + : This artist only confirms the potential showed on previous works. It’s an overwhelming production with a strong visual appeal leading the listener into an imaginary, abyssal, world. You feel solitude and despair accentuated by the ghost-like tones although I noticed space-like effects as well.

– – – : The work is maybe missing an absolute climax to speak about a true masterpiece but we get a succession of cool tracks instead.

Conclusion: Argyre Planitia is a project which is progressively gaining a higher level at the wider fields of Dark-Ambient music.

Best songs: “Messina Chasmata”, “Subglacial Ocean”, “Pharos Crater”, “Cryovolcanic Activity”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: https://petroglyphargyreplanitia.wordpress.com

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Stefan Voß hails from Hannover (Germany) and has already released several self-released productions plus a few more released by Petroglyph Music. He’s now back on track unleashing his newest work on Winter-Light. The work features seven songs.

Content: The title of this album appears to be a clear indication what the sound is all about. From the very first notes and atmospheres we feel like we are entering a desolate landscape under an eternal night sky. Stormy sounds sharp as the Northern wind creates a frozen ambiance. The composition is reinforced by echoing drones and low, buzzing sound waves. Field recordings and different kinds of sonic manipulations complete the work.

+ + + : The album takes off with the overwhelming “Hypnagogia”-piece, which brings the listener directly into the obscure sphere supporting this work. The tracks are meticulously crafted with a great arsenal of noises and field recordings, and also by deeply vibrating sounds. The work is progressively reaching its climax at “Phantasos” and the next track “Dreamcatcher”. The artist is reaching an ultimate state of sonic terror, like unknown evil forces awakening our imagination to visualize the unseen.

– – – : The last track is the single one that couldn’t totally convince me, but I can only say good things about this Dark-Ambient jewel.

Conclusion: Some Dark-Ambient productions sometimes can become enlightening! This album is an absolute must-have for lovers in the music genre.

Best songs: “Phantasos”, “Dreamcatcher, “Hypnagogia”, “Delta Waves”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: https://argyreplanitia.bandcamp.com

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com