Urku Llanthu — Hanak Review
Urku Llanthu, a Dark Folk/Dungeon Synth solo artist from Ecuador. In 2025, he released his latest single, Hanak—an ancestral soundscape woven with mystical messages rooted in Andean belief. The track was released through his own label, Takiri Productions.
Urku Llanth, Hanak Review: This review will evaluate every aspect of the single, from its intricate musical composition to its production. Our analysis will provide valuable insights to help you determine if this single is worth adding to your collection.
The First Three Sins, The Summary
The Fourth Sin, Overall Discussion
Opening: Beneath the Mountain’s Pulse
As soon as the listener presses that play button, they don’t just hear music. They step into the raw pulse of Urku Llanthu‘s world. Urku Llanthu pulls you in deep. Nature’s call blends with dark, heavy keys. It begins a journey that feels alive and ancient.
Hanak stretches nine minutes long. It floats like a dream into Kichwa and Quechua ways of life. The name ties to “Aya Puncha,” the day of spirits or the day to honour the dead. It sits on the full album Pichkay, released in 2025 as Urku Llanthu‘s fifth studio work.
Aya Dwells in Stone
“In Andean views, everything carries ‘aya.’ That means spirit or soul. Hills, stones, lakes, and other holy spots all share it. The old Andean people held tight to ideas of life after death. They mummified bodies to keep them close. Family and friends would wash in special falls as part of the rites. For these groups, the dead keep their souls. They receive the same care as the living. Spirits wait in Uku Pacha, the lower world, ready to join us again. This spirit shapes ‘Hanak.’ The hymn remembers those bonds. It draws from Kichwa roots, where “Pichkay” translates loosely to the beginning of a new path or a hidden journey.”
Liturgy in Lo-Fi
Urku Llanthu’s Hanak is entirely self-produced using lo-fi techniques. It skips the clean shine of big studios. Hanak walks the edge of decay and devotion. The mix resists clarity, choosing grain over gloss. This is not a flaw, but a vow. A rejection of studio sheen in favour of soul.
Each crackle or fade sounds like an old voice from the past. Think dungeon synth—retro, game-like tonesfrom the 80s and 90s, twisted dark. It blends with folk metal’s heavy edge. Layers stay simple, free from heavy compression. The mix focuses on feeling, not sharp details. Picture faint synth waves rolling like fog. Soft pads fill the air. Drums beat like ritual steps—slow and steady.
Synth layers, ambient pads, and ritual percussion dominate. No polished studio sheen—this is raw, intimate, and intentional.
Vigil in Sound
Urku Llanthu’s atmosphere is hypnotic, mournful, and trance-inducing — a powerful instrumental that makes you think of mist-covered mountains, flickering candles, and silent processions. The track feels like a sonic vigil — an ideal soundtrack for meditation or getting lost in your mind.
The hymn moves slowly and deliberately, with motifs that repeat like chants. It’s not meant to entertain—it’s meant to invoke.
I’ve followed Urku Llanthu‘s sounds for some time now. He doesn’t just make tunes. He builds whole worlds of history and myth in sound. Ones that feel solid and full. All instrumental, no words to break the flow. His fruit of art devilmanship and tools stay basic but hit strong: lo-fi dungeon synth crashes into dark folk metal. Layers rise gently, building light. No artificial shine—just raw mood. The blend puts mood first, clarity second. Grainy synths grind low. Bells ring far off. Drones hum in the back. Now and then, a bent guitar or simple folk string slips in, like a ghost in the mist.
No lyrics. No voice. Hanak speaks in silence. The absence of words is deliberate—a space for spirits to breathe. The track becomes a vigil, not a verse. A hymn for memory, not ears.
The energy stays even by choice. It’s a calm high ground, not wild ups and downs. If voices creep in, they hide low or murmur soft. Synths and soft sounds rule the space. The entire mix reverberates like it’s sealed within stone walls.
Ritual Roots, Deep and Dark
Urku Llanthu‘s work grows from dark roots. Dungeon synth’s eerie vibes meet dark ambient’s hush. Black metal’s bite joins Andean folk’s heart. They entwine into a rite-born mix that sticks with you. Fans of deep, cultural sounds will find “Hanak” stirs something ancient and real. It echoes old rites in a fresh way, hard to shake once it starts. The album PichKay as a whole dives further into these themes, with tracks that layer more stories from the mountains. If you’ve ever felt the weight of ancient lands, this hymn drives it home with sharp clarity.
No climax. No chaos. Hanak holds its energy like a candle in windless air. It doesn’t rise—it remains. Stillness becomes sacred. A refusal to entertain. A choice to invoke. A fruit of art.
Closing: Descent into Silence
As the single gradually fades into silence, we offer our thanks to Urku Llanthu for granting us passage into Hanak. Now, we descend into the final three sins—each a closing rite before the scroll seals.
The Fifth Sin, The Memorabilia
We deeply admire the work of Urku Llanthu. It’s never easy to put into words what his music already expresses—but each new release invites us into a fresh, magical challenge. Every offering feels darker, deeper, and uniquely its own. His sound never repeats itself, making each listen a true pleasure and a ritual of discovery.
The Sixth Sin, The Artwork
The artwork is a ceremonial triumph—visually rich, mythically charged, and editorially aligned with the spirit of Hanak.
The Seventh Sin, Disrelish
There is nothing to dislike in the musical offerings of Urku Llanthu, especially in his latest single, Hanak. “Every element—its absence of vocals, immersive instrumentation, devilmanship, and ritualistic atmosphere—serves a clear artistic purpose”. Thus, we conclude our review of this haunting and evocative piece. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your time in reading this scroll, and we warmly encourage you to explore the wider body of Urku Llanthu’s work—each release a unique ritual, each track a passage into myth.
The Hymns
01. Hanak
Urku Llanth
Atuk Urku Llanthu (Pablo Mesias) — Songwriting, All Instruments