Siberia is a natural location for cold, nocturnal sounds, which Stuzha (Russian for "severe cold") expertly captures with field recordings before embedding his treasures in layers of dark ambienceHis 4-track demo, "Through the Snowfield," manages to accomplish in 21 minutes what many similar artists fail to do in an entire career, invoking an unquestionably succinct sense of place and time.

Stuzha (a side project of_Algol_) succeeds where others have failed by keeping his source material sharp and recognizable."Here Is No Life Without a Fire" recorded in the Taiga forest at -25C, features forlorn piano and subdued metallic tones, but is distinguished by the unprocessed sound of matches, a crackling fire and footsteps in snow. When the fire goes out, the sounds turn to panic: stamping feet, hands being rubbed together, frantic attempts to reignite the flame. "Lost in Catacombs" was recorded in a huge abandoned metallic water tank, and produces a sense of claustrophobic paranoia. In this track, the acoustic guitar operates as a lifeline, the only protection against the skittering clanks of an unknown antagonist, who seems to draw nearer as the track progresses.

The stoic beauty of the title track will catch many listeners off guard. The ringing of bells on a coachman's horse is followed by an impartial, sullen wind and the clear, calming tones of a Russian choir singing an old folk tune. Listening to this song, some may think of Christmas carols, others of a search-and-rescue team huddled together for comfort. The two-minute closer, "Odinokayo Garmon'," is a happier-sounding song, the relieved, slightly drunken celebration of a man at a hearth.

Stuzha is the most exciting artist to enter the dark ambient field in a long time.From the sound of this demo, this young Russian may have enough matches to reignite this flickering genre, turning it once again into a raging fire.

-Richard Allen