Yannick Frank — Hierophany | Èåðîôàíèÿ
Russian experimental label Monochrome Vision presents Hierophany | Èåðîôàíèÿ by Belgium sound artist Yannick Frank. Released in the waning days of 2012, Heriography offers listeners 3 continuous suites of dark, ambient drone inspired by Russian orthodox culture.
Hierophany | Èåðîôàíèÿ contains 3 tracks or “suites” that range between 11 and 13 minutes in length. Track1 “Mausoleum” puts the listener in an isolated echo chamber of thick tones and dense atmosphere. A thick pulsing drone ebbs and flows with what sounds like voices interspersed under the dense mass. Synth buzzing and, seemingly, electro acoustic sounds worm their way through the atmospheric texture. There is nothing overt, it’s all very refined, and quite eerie sounding at times.
Track 2 “The Dive” seamlessly begins where “Mausoleum” ends. The same droning pattern continues with heavier emphasis on a swelling bass resonating throughout the track. A crackling sound (that resembles a roaring campfire) resides as a layer underneath. There’s a lot of subtle sounds scattered throughout the track, which a less engaged listener might miss, such as a short piercing shriek or a lone whistle. The final track “Dying Down” again follows suite with a seamless transition from the previous track. At the midway point various bells/chimes ringing. The track ends with some vocal samples that I can’t quite make out, but adds an interesting layer to the piece.
Given how seamless the album flows, the 3 tracks that make up Hierophany | Èåðîôàíèÿ really feel like a single piece. Had I not been paying attention I don’t think I would’ve been able to distinguish the album as 3 separate tracks. Of course, I have a feeling this seamless flow is what the composer had in mind. While I would’ve liked a little more variations between the pieces, I did enjoy the bells/chimes in the third track to help distinguish it from the others. That said, this is a solid album of dark ambient drone and a perfect accompaniment to deep contemplations and restless nights.