apanthropy

Hemene & Hel
La Source
Araki Records / Cœur Sur Toi / Matière Super
To Be Released: September 26th, 2026

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1 – Sorbier Des Oiseleurs
2 – Dame Lombarde
3 – Demi-Jour
4 – La Source
5 – Masato
6 – Un Trou Dans Le Ciel
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“On ‘La Source,’ the listener is offered a chance to exist outside of themselves for a brief moment. Avoiding the pit traps of modern and highly commercialized folk, the duo of Hemene & Hel create something that is engaging at both the mental and emotional levels, offering a period of meditative reflection through their compositions, an imaginative retreat from the doldrums of modernity.”

We have pursued the concept of ‘extremity’ with great resolve. Commonly, we have framed this ‘extremity’ as an act of sonic accumulation; layers of guitars, blast beats, distortion, intense vocal aggression, complex arrangements that change rapidly in chaotic and destructive manners. Dichotomy against popular and/or otherwise mainstream musical schools of thought is an act of the extreme. For Apanthropy, the definition of ‘extreme’ is larger than that of any one genre.

Applying the antithesis of sonic accumulation would logically lead to sparseness. Not necessarily to the point of a slightly disturbed silence, but something that begins to venture into the territory of genres and sub-genres such as dungeon synth, dark ambient, ritual music, traditional folk, neofolk, noise, and drone. There is a conceptual distinction that deserves to be created here; extreme sound is not always the same as extreme method. We’ve grown deeply accustomed to the concept of ‘extreme’ sound; louder, faster, heavier, more distorted, and more chaotic. Exploring the concept of extreme methods leads us to concepts such as delivering a sonic experience that is quieter, slower, sparser, more repetitive, more patient, and more deliberately constrained.

One can craft an album that is extraordinarily demanding without the faders and signals being pushed into the deep red. An argument can be made that a 30-second blast beat passage doesn’t necessarily demand much patience from the listener. However, a six-minute piece built around a slowly evolving acoustic figure may demand far more attention.

That is a form of extremity itself.

Hemene & Hel, the sonic duo of Manuel Neyssensas and Héloïse Francesconi, explore a variation of dark folk and drone. That, however, would be like describing the night as ‘dark,’ failing to acknowledge the numerous stars or the pale moon, the silence of the many and the noise of a nocturnal few – crickets, frogs, owls, and so on. Described as ‘the breath of machines and the vibration of wood,’ there is an obvious intertwining of electronic instruments such as modular synth and organic staples such as mandolin and acoustic guitar, amongst others. With inspiration coming from such devices as Occitan texts – historical Occitania itself being a fascinating topic of research – and the folk revival aesthetic of the 1970’s, this surpasses the more ‘pop’-oriented concepts explored by contemporary Western artists.

La Source, the duo’s debut EP, is set to be released on September 26th, 2026. The EP features six compositions, spread across roughly 26 minutes in length. A CD pressing will be handled by Araki Records and Cœur Sur Toi with a cassette run coming courtesy of Matière Super. A sound comparable to that of the more commonly known Dead Can Dance, swaying with the ethereal spectral tonality of artists such as Linnea Hjertén and the ensorcelling Anna von Hausswolff, with the electro-experimental delivery of French acts such as pre-1980’s Malicorne, and the sonic minimalism of Mélusine. It is an exploration of texture and composition, a bare flesh approach to musicality, hiding behind nothing.

‘Sorbier Des Oiseleurs’ opens the EP, a short introductory phrase that sets the tone for the remainder of the release. Droning river-like ambience invokes atmosphere as bright and gallant chords begin to fade in from the back of the mix. The tonal center is the point of strength for these tracks, melody, arpeggios, the simple flick and strum of shining chord structures being the primary mode of forward movement. The tone and approach are authentic, there is an objective seriousness to the craft, not one that necessarily invokes rigidity, but one that signifies synergistic composing and strength of songwriting. Despite the ancient and medieval tones, their presence is in strict musicality. There is no sense of embellishment in the duo’s sound or image.

‘Dame Lombarde’ is perhaps better viewed as recovery and reinterpretation of traditional repertoire. Hemene & Hel hold on to the musical memory of this ancient piece of art, even as the original authorship and the precise age of the material fade and disappear. Many acts have put their own signature feel to the song. Hemene & Hel build a foundation of ritualistic percussion and bright strums that allow the beautiful vocals of Héloïse Francesconi to serve as the center of tonal power. The vocals take on a serene melodic shade; clean, animated, full of control. The song enlivens into a slightly more upbeat tempo and a more prominent string presence about halfway through the track, circling Francesconi’s vocals back around to carry the track into resolve.

There are a pair of acoustic guitar pieces in the form of ‘Demi-Jour’ and ‘Masato.’ These are not simple exhibitions of two players working their way through basic chord shapes and progressions, there is melodic interaction between both instruments that, once again, outlines the duo’s artistic synergy. Anyone who has put their hands on an acoustic guitar will no doubt understand how unforgiving the instrument can be. There is no hiding behind a wall of sound or distortion, but a raw crystalline display of color that demands each note be played with the utmost care and accuracy, all while maintaining control and feel. A buzzed note, a missed fret positioning, unintentional string dampening…the delicacy required for these types of acoustic movements is something that takes a substantial amount of development. It is one thing to strike the notes, to ring the chord, but it takes a steady hand and a natural sense of musicality to bring life and emotion to the movement.

The title track incorporates textural contrast not heard up to this point on the EP. Steady and unwavering feedback wails and drones alongside simple metronomic percussive patterns. Arpeggios provide the roadway in which Francesconi’s vocals can trek and journey. Waves of background noise ebb and flow behind the tonal center, the minimalism and stream of the song feel almost like a distortion of time. The contrast of form and chaos reaches a perfect balance here, invoking shades of melancholy and exhausted peace.

The longest track of La Source is reserved for the ending movement, ‘Un Trou Dans Le Ciel,’ which reaches toward the seven-minute mark. A combination of techniques is used to explore the song, bringing together man and machine in a balanced display of ghostliness. Simple chord strums and in-line percussion lead into ethereal layered vocals that teem with sensations of vastness and the windswept. Breaking down towards the middle of the track and building back up as it enters the second half. The second half is devoid of Francesconi’s vocals, opting to wind down like a vast fire burning down to terminal embers.

Hemene & Hel prove that they are more than capable of preserving the soul and character of ancient music while making it behave like contemporary experimental music. Rather than build and build to the point of blotting out the sun, Hemene & Hel remove and strip down. In this manner, sparse guitars become important as there isn’t a multitude of signals surrounding it. Sustained drones feel oppressive as they refuse to resolve cleanly. Tiny textural alterations to the music become significant because the listener has been sitting inside the same sonic environment long enough to notice. Silence is integrated as part of the compositions. It is best not to look at these acts of aural minimalism as something less extreme but a different conception of extremity.

On La Source, the listener is offered a chance to exist outside of themselves for a brief moment. Avoiding the pit traps of modern and highly commercialized folk, the duo of Hemene & Hel create something that is engaging at both the mental and emotional levels, offering a period of meditative reflection through their compositions, an imaginative retreat from the doldrums of modernity.

Label: Araki Records
Label: Cœur Sur Toi
Label: Matière Super
Band: Hemene & Hel

AJK