“Mechanical Tears” by NoRinTon (feat. AtonalitA)

Over the years, Cryo Chamber has developed a well-earned reputation as one of the world’s pre-eminent dark ambient labels, thanks to releases by Alphaxone, Atrium Carceri, Dead Melodies, and Ruptured World (to name just a few). To his credit, though, Simon Heath isn’t afraid to expand his label’s sonic palette, which brings me to Leviathan, the Cryo Chamber debut of Alireza Fatemi Jahanabadi, aka NoRinTon.

Leviathan is certainly replete with the sort of ambience that befits the Cryo Chamber roster. But whereas many Cryo Chamber releases focus on being as ominous and harrowing as possible — which is not necessarily a bad thing — Jahanabadi’s music exhibits a bit more variety, including elements of synthwave and post-rock. “Mechanical Tears,” for example, finds him incorporating the shoegaze-y textures and melodies of guitarist Siamak Ghorbanian Aghdam (aka AtonalitA) into his vast soundscapes. The resulting song is one that invites the endless exploration of its depths, particularly when listened to with headphones.

Leviathan is currently available from Cryo Chamber on CD and digital.