Heinali’s “Гільдеґарда (Hildegard)” — A Sacred Terror Reflected
When a Russian missile struck near the studio of Kyiv-based composer Heinali, the artist described the moment as a “sacred terror.” Drawing on his profound knowledge of medieval music, Heinali likened the explosion to the bursting lights that preceded the divine visions of the 12th-century mystic composer Hildegard von Bingen. “Гільдеґарда (Hildegard)” serves as a “distant mirror,” bringing those ancient visions into collision with the brutal reality of war in modern Ukraine.
The Voice of Resistance: Avtentyka
Across the album’s two monumental 20-minute pieces, the voice of Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko rises powerfully. Saienko sings in the traditional Ukrainian “avtentyka” folk style—a vocal practice once threatened under the Soviet regime and now transformed into a symbol of resistance against Putin’s regime. Her commanding voice floats like a prayer over Heinali’s modular synthesizer layers, which at times evoke the drone of bagpipes and at others recall the crushing weight of dark drone metal.
Theology and Technology
Hildegard fuses medieval theology with modern technology, mysticism with the raw immediacy of war. The music of the 12th-century saint becomes a vision of hope in 21st-century occupied Kyiv. Heinali’s modular systems fracture and rebuild ancient chants, resulting in a sound that feels simultaneously extremely ancient and disturbingly new.
A Vision Born in the Midst of War
The album emerges from the heart of destruction, yet instead of feeding on ruin, it consecrates the sheer will to survive. This collision of the mystical and the modern is not merely a lament for a war-torn country—it is also a timeless anthem of resistance.
Apartment No:26 Note
Heinali merges personal trauma with historical perspective, turning music into both a sanctuary and a vehicle for transmitting memory.
Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko’s vocal technique channels such a visceral connection to the land and cultural heritage that—even if you don’t understand the language—you can feel the spirit of resistance pulsing through it.
If you love the industrial depth of Hildur Guðnadóttir or the spiritual simplicity of Arvo Pärt, this album will carry you into an entirely different dimension.
Discover Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko on Instagram:
