Pterygium – A Blessing Withdrawn 7”EP Cønjuntø Vacíø 2021
Over a relatively short time span, Hank Gillet’s project Pterygium has demonstrated ambitious intent, as well as being something of a sonic chameleon that inhabits the in-between spaces between noise, dark ambient, and post-industrial spheres. Armed with this modus operandi, Hank has created a unique and now recognisable sound for Pterygium based on the well-received albums, including 2018’s Concealing the Past (via Tesco Organisation), and 2020’s Stoic Ubiquity (via No Recent Records).
For his first release on Cønjuntø Vacíø (a Spanish experimental label previously unknown to me), it is the first of Pterygium’s sounds on both vinyl as well as the shorter 7″ format. Delivering two instrumental tracks, Hank has opted to emphasise and showcase the dark ambient side of his sound. With a religious slant to the track titles (i.e. My Son, Keep Your Father’s Commandments and The Lord Is My Shepherd), this is also reflected in the sacral-tinged soundscapes, which seamlessly blend samples of ceremonial laments. Being brooding and contemplative overall, the tone stops short of edging into territories of overt sonic angst which has partially characterised earlier material.
For the sake of guiding comparisons this release would sit neatly next to the sacral post-industrial soundscapes of later-era raison d’etre, or the dark ambient side of Lussuria. As for the physical edition, this is a crystal clear, lathe cut 7”EP, with suitable sacral album artwork.
