Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This album resulted from the common efforts between Ukrainian Vladislav Sikach (SiJ) and Russian Ilya Fursov (Textere Oris). Both artists have already released different works on Cryo Chamber and previously released the album, “Reflections Under The Sky” (2016)

Content: This work is quite diversified, but mainly inspired by Cinematographic music. The album takes off with a heavy, atmospheric piece carried by guitar playing and a kind of trumpet sound. Buzzing sound waves supporting the track. Other pieces are characterized by delicate piano arrangements while there also is a kind of free-styled Jazzy experiment for dark souls. Another passage is driven by the magic of a duduk, injecting a Middle-Eastern touch to the work. Field recordings are running through the work. A few cuts are driven by slow rhythms.

+ + + : The opening track “Nevesomost” is an overwhelming piece of music and a perfect way to take off. I like the album’s diversity, which however sounds compact. The tracks are meticulously elaborated and I also have to mention the great chants and effects emerging on several cuts. The global atmosphere has something intimate although sometimes ominous and even becoming sensual through the addition of a slow cadence.

– – – : The album is maybe missing a total apotheosis, but we get a succession of cool and accomplished tracks instead; no reason to complaining here!

Conclusion: SiJ and Textere Oris have accomplished a meaningful and elaborated cinematographic experience, which I can only highly recommend.

Best songs: “Nevesomost”, “K Moryu”, “After Sunset” Kolokola”.

Rate: 7½.

Artists: www.facebook.com/sijmusic / www.facebook.com/textere.oris

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.

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Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, experimental, cinematographic, soundscape.

Background/Info: Russian artists Vladislav Sikach and Sergey Epifanov aka Sij and Item Caligo, joined hands to release this common work revealing 8 compositions. Both artists are truly work-addicts having released an impressive number of productions during the past years. Sij is also used to working with other artists; the list is too long to mention all other names he collaborated with, but you’ll find bands such as Textere Oris, Paul Minesweeper, Creation VI, Particula, Astral & Shit ao.

Content: Sij & Item Caligo clearly deals with the darker parts of ambient music. This work is a kind of soundscape inviting the listener to visit a sonic universe made of imagery and horror themes. The composition is quite progressive, but remains often monotone although now and then joined by some extra sounds and noises. The dark and vibrating sound waves are finally moving towards a real dark final.

+ + + : “Queer Reminiscence” is the kind of album you need to listen to several times before you really can get into it. Using headphones could be a precious tool to distinguish the little noises and effects, which are in the background. It also reveals the experimental side of the work, which however is an essential aspect injecting a touch of diversity. Talking about diversity I especially like the kind of piano play emerging at “If Our Hope Not Fades”. This track is somewhat different from the rest and even recovers this work with a flavor of serenity. “Queer Reminiscence” is an intriguing work (also for its title), but mainly for its deep, vibrating buzzing sound waves.

– – – : The main point with this kind of music concepts is that it starts to get a little bit monotonous after a while. I’m often observing the same point, which is that this soundscape-style needs a visual backup.

Conclusion: Sij and Item Caligo are taking the listeners hostage to endure an obscure sonic trip where images have been replaced by deadly sonorities. This is a trip through the unknown so you never know how and when you will get out of it!

Best songs: “If Our Hope Not Fades”, So Terrible To Contemplate”.

Rate: (6).

Bands: www.facebook.com/sijmusic / www.facebook.com/Item–Caligo-1468831013363752

Label: http://ralignment.tictail.com / www.facebook.com/reversealignment

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

Prolific atmospheric dark ambient artist Vladislav Sikach aka SiJ is back with a brand new album: “The Time Machine“. On “The Time Machine” the Ukrainian artist explores the aspect of time travel bringing you forwards and backwards in time.

The material is composed of field recordings mixed with bright overlays and distant instruments. For the recordings Sikach could count on the help of Anna Sikach (track 1 & 2), Stanislav ToSo from Particula (track 7), Ilya Fursov from Textere Oris (track 11), Anna Vorobyeva from Wandering Wind (track 4 & 6), Tanya Lieben (track 11), Erik Osvald from Keosz (track 10) and Vadim Grin from Dream Twice (track 4 & 5).

Out now and available via Cryo Chamber’s Bandcamp page as a high quality download or as a CD in full colour 6 panel digipak. Highly recommended!

Sikach started recording his first material quite recently, back in 2011 when he released 2 noise albums (or tracks as these albums contained one 45-minute track on each) called “B.J.D I” and “,.J.D II.”. Since then he has released over 15 albums in total.

Enjoy also the following video for the new release:

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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The Moscow based Textere Oris and the Ukrainian project SiJ have joined up to record the field recording focused release “Reflections under the Sky”. The duo sees the album released via the dark ambient label Cryo Chamber. You can expect a merger of warm tape noise fused recordings and analogue acoustics.

SiJ is an ambient music project founded on March 27th 2011 by the self-taught artist Vladislav Sikach from Sevastopol (Ukraine). SiJ uses a large number of instruments such as various guitars, drums and synthesizers as well as handmade mechanical or electromechanical sound devices to create his sound.

Recently SiJ started to use field recordings made in various places from urban streets to abandoned military and industrial facilities next to using tools for creating SiJ’s soundscapes such as VST-technologies, digital sound processing and CSound sound-synthesizing programming language. He collaborated cross scene with such diverse projects and artists as Creation VI, RMSS Systems Inc., Sergey Gabbasov, Luís Antero, Particula, WMRI, Ptarkh, Astral & Shit among others. He has also performed at the Crimea branch of II Ambient Music Fest and Finland Open-Air in 2014.

Textere Oris is the project of the Moscow based producer Ilya Fursov. He has been incorporating various musical elements in his work, from dark ambient over worldbeat to spoken word and field recordings.

Below you can listen to the album which is available as an HQ audio download and as a CD digipak via Bandcamp.

Below is the video for the album’s opening track “Near the Dam”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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