Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: After two albums released on Malignant Records, “Beta Pictoris” is the third album of Sphäre Sechs released on Cryo Chamber. The duo Martin Stürtzer (also involved with Phelios) – Christian Stritzel have been inspired by the exoplanet Beta Pictoris to compose seven tracks.

Content: This album is mainly driven by impressive, heavy sound waves. The global atmosphere has something dreamy-like, but still pretty freaky and overwhelming. This sonic trip is moving from aquatic field recordings towards total minimalism and a kind of imaginary visit in a sonic glasshouse.

+ + + : The global sound production is absolutely devastating. There’s an impressive power emerging from the sounds and that’s probably due to analogue sound treatments. It creates a part of magic, which has something space-like and totally in harmony with the concept of the work. “Planetesimal Debris” and “Infrared Emission” both are brilliant exposures of this sound approach. I also have to mention “Seeking The Infinite” and “Collapsing Cloud” for their minimalism and intriguing atmosphere. Every single track feels like being part of a great sonic puzzle.

– – – : I don’t see major minus points on this album, which is well-crafted and balanced.

Conclusion: “Beta Pictoris” is an album influenced by an intriguing theme and transposed into a fascinating Dark-Cinematographic experience. A must have for the fans in the genre.

Best songs: “Planetesimal Debris”, “Infrared Emission”, “Seeking The Infinite”, “Collapsing Cloud”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/sphaere.sechs

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

About Sphäre Sechs

Sphäre Sechs is the ambient duo of Martin Stürtzer, also known for Phelios, and Christian Stritzel. The two have played together since 2001 and record in improvised live or studio sessions. Their first album, “Tiefschlaf”, came from a sleeping concert held in a church in Wuppertal, and “Enceladus” followed. Side-Line reviewed the latter as Sphäre Sechs – Enceladus (CD Album – Tumor/Malignant Records).

The duo then moved to Cryo Chamber, where Side-Line covered Sphäre Sechs – Particle Void (CD Album – Cryo Chamber) in 2018 and Sphäre Sechs – Transient Lunar Phenomenon (CD Album – Cryo Chamber) in 2019.

“Beta Pictoris”, the fifth Sphäre Sechs album, was released on 18 May 2021 and was recorded in Wuppertal in autumn and winter 2020, using material gathered for an improvised online concert played from two cities. Stürtzer handled analog and digital synthesizers, effects, recording and mixing, while Stritzel played Moog Etherwave Pro theremin and worked on effects and mixing. Simon Heath mastered the album and Erik Osvald supplied the artwork. The seven tracks are named after features of the exoplanet system that gives the record its title.

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, dark-cinematographic.

Background/Info: Martin Stürtzer (Phelios) and Christian Stritzel have been active for a couple of years under the Sphäre Sechs moniker. This album is the project’s fourth opus to date –and the second one released by Cryo Chamber. The tracks have been composed during improvised studio sessions and are once more inspired by a fascination for the cosmos.

Content: The composition moves on there where previous album “Particle Void” (2018) stopped. It sounds like an exploration of dark sonic realms, which are rapidly leading the listener into a fantasy world. There’s a slow progression running through the tracks, which sometimes feels evasive, but always surrounded by an anguishing sphere. The album features 6 tracks, which are all going over seven- and even one over ten minutes.

+ + + : The visual aspect of the work remains one of Sphäre Sechs main strengths. I personally prefer this new work to its predecessor. I noticed interesting little noises and effects, which are mainly coming through at “Aristarchus Plateau” and “Regolith”. The sound reveals a fascinating symbiosis between dark, intriguing passages and pure relaxing parts.

– – – : I still regret the somewhat linear exposure of the work.

Conclusion: We all know the moon can have a serious impact on nature and species and I’ve no doubt Sphäre Sech’s “Transient Lunar Phenomenon” will have an impact on their fans as well.

Best songs: “Aristarchus Plateau”, “Regolith”, “Report R-277”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/sphaere.sechs

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

About Sphäre Sechs

Sphäre Sechs is the dark-ambient duo of Martin Stürtzer, also active as Phelios, and Christian Stritzel, who have collaborated since 2001. Their discography includes “Tiefschlaf”, recorded from an improvised concert held in a church in Wuppertal, and “Enceladus” on Malignant Records, before the project moved to Cryo Chamber for “Particle Void” in 2018. “Transient Lunar Phenomenon” continues that studio-session approach. The duo later released “Beta Pictoris” on Cryo Chamber in 2021, their third album for the label.

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: Soundscape, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: German duo Martin Stürtzer (mainly known for his project Phelios) and Christian Stritzel are striking back with the third Sphäre Sechs-album. Previous work was released on Malignant Records while they now have joined another leading label of dark-ambient music. The title refers is ‘focused on the particle void of space’.

Content: The influences running through this new work remains pretty similar to previous albums although I experienced “Particle Void” as a step forward into the soundscape genre while the dark-ambient style is a little less more in the background. We feel like progressively entering and moving throughout an obscure odyssey where dark sound waves are taking control. The work has been meticulously built up featuring brilliant sound treatments to join an apocalyptical end part.

+ + + : I especially like the progression in the tracklist, which is coming to an overwhelming climax. Both last pieces are absolutely perfect, like the ultimate state of sound chemistry. “Particular Void” has been clearly composed by great sound treatments and I wasn’t surprised the duo used analogue gear to accomplish their work. It makes me think to a spider, which is patiently building its web to catch poorly victims. “Radiation Phase” is a little jewel illustrating this sound climax. Needless to say this album also has a strong visual appeal.

– – – : I know it’s a very personal point of view, but soundscape-minded productions often have something similar and a bit repetitive.

Conclusion: Sphäre Sechs remains an interesting project, which has never totally convinced me although never disappointed. This album sounds a little less different from their previous work, but still recognizable.

Best songs: “Radiation Phase”, “Cepheid”, “Multiverse”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/sphaere.sechs

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

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, soundscape.

Content: Three years have passed since Sphäre Sechs’ debut album “Thiefschlaf.” The German duo Martin Stürtzer (mainly known from his Phelios project) and Christian Stritzel joined forces again to transpose some astral inspiration into music.

“Enceladus” which is the sixth largest moon of Saturn became the central theme of this opus revealing 7 cuts simply entitled “Enceladus” and numbered from 1 to 7. Sphäre Sechs created a dark opus, which even goes beyond the obscurity of their debut work.

This space odyssey clearly sounds like a freaky experience that will appeal for your imagination and where you’ll quickly get the sensation of being lost in mysterious sonic corridors.

“Enceladus” was created with an explicit sound formula deliberately avoiding the use of computers, and only composed with analog equipment. It evokes to me the work of some pioneers during the 80s and a kind of return to the origins of dark-ambient and experimental music. “Enceladus” is filled with humming sound waves and other vibrating blasts, which quite progressively and meticulously build up to reach a frightening state. The tracks are pretty similar to each other and rapidly appear to be parts of a wider sonic puzzle. You can feel a kind of dark pressure slowly emerging to the surface and, which crescendo wise will bring the listener into a state of confusion.

Conclusion: Space always has fascinated many people, and the “Enceladus”-experience will certainly feed the mystery of the cosmos. This album perfectly fills the gap between reverie and nightmare, however I’m missing an absolute climax.

Best songs: “Enceladus IV”, “Enceladus V”.

Rate: (DP:7)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/sphaere.sechs

Label: www.malingnantrecords.com / www.facebook.com/malignantrecords

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