AMN Reviews: Gdanian – Submersion (2021; Cryo Chamber)

Sergey Gdanian incorporates pulses and subtle beats into his dark ambient. As its title suggests, Submersion invokes underwater soundscapes, and these rhythmic structures play nicely with drones, machine noises, effects, and bubbling subaqueous sounds. As a result, the nine pieces on this release are largely based on establishing a theme, some repetition thereof, and then moving on. This provides a sense of listening to a documentary or movie soundtrack.

Something about the simple, throbbing nature of this work is compelling. For instance, The Core features a wave-like rhythm backed up by ominous and sweeping dronelets. The Lowest Point relies on a piano melody that morphs in a sequenced pattern amongst gentler washes of sound. Paradox is a rumbling drone with echoing notes and a bassy thrumming.

Submersion is about exploring the depths – the inherent dangers of the ocean itself as well as the mysterious creatures residing below. Gdanian creates his tracks by combining various types of musical building blocks in a catchy yet forbidding manner. Well done.