Donghyuk Heo

Modular Ambient Project #1 : <Forest>
  • Role: Composer / Sound Designer 

  • Released: 2020

Ritual Ambient Soundscape

A meditation project conceived for inner peace during the COVID-19 pandemic. Centered around Eurorack modular synthesizers, it meticulously crafts a dreamlike space through endless arpeggio cycles. A profound exploration of electronic music textures and atmospheric soundscapes.

 

Acoustic objects and modular sounds 

Deconstructing traditional song forms, it merges mechanical electronic textures with organic and ritualistic sounds, unfolding a deep, multidimensional meditative space.

  • Endless Arpeggiation: Infinite cycles of modular sequencing that weave a surreal, hypnotic dreamscape.

  • Ritualistic Resonance: Designing a multidimensional soundscape that induces deep psychological tranquility, orchestrating the resonance of traditional Korean shamanic bells and singing bowls.

  • Breathing life and warm vitality into icy synth textures by seamlessly blending them with organic field recordings.

Modular Ambient Project #2 : <Meditation>
  • Role: Composer / Sound Designer 

  • Released: 2020

Drone Ambient Soundscape for Inner Reflection 

Conceived during the COVID-19 lockdown to offer a message of solace and resilience. Anchored by the purified drone textures of modular synthesizers, this meditation piece invites deep introspection and inner peace.

A Synthesis of Analog Textures and Lyrical Guitar

  • Drone & Tape Echo: Grounding the track with weighty, serene drones enriched by the signature warmth of tape echo, creating a lush, multidimensional spatiality.

  • Endless Arpeggiation: Weaving infinite arpeggio cycles—a continuation of previous works—with the chime of bells to shape a surreal, meditative dreamscape.

  • Electric Guitar Melody: Layering lyrical, self-performed electric guitar lines over mechanical electronics to deliver a deeply human touch of comfort.

Modular Ambient Project #3 : <Spacewalk>
  • Role: Composer / Sound Designer 

  • Released: 2020

Spatial Audio & Rhythmic Ambient for Multidisciplinary Arts

A Eurorack modular ambient piece composed for a convergence performance merging media art, ballet, and music. Grounded in static drones that evoke an endlessly expanding cosmic expanse, it integrates dynamic rhythmic patterns to meticulously synchronize the audio-visual pacing.

The Interplay of Analog Drones and Classic Drum Machines 

Presenting a multidimensional sound design that organically bonds with the physical movements of dancers and the shifting visuals of media art.

  • Convergence Soundscape: A bespoke sound design for multidisciplinary arts, crafted to react and interact seamlessly with the physical progression of the ballet and the visual depth of the media art.

  • Modular Drone & TR-808: Architecting a three-dimensional spatiality by contrasting the weighty, levitating Eurorack drones with the raw, analog punch of the classic Roland TR-808.

  • Rhythmic Tension: Maximizing performance immersion through the gradual tension and kinetic energy generated by the TR-808 beats, cutting through infinitely looping, static ambient textures.

Classical Music on Modular Synthesizer Series
  • Role: Arranger / Sound Designer 

  • Released: 2019

Classical Heritage & Modular Electronics
(Classical Heritage & Modular Electronics)
 

Inheriting the visionary legacy of Wendy Carlos’s monumental "Switched-On Bach"—a cornerstone of electronic music—this project reinterprets classical masterpieces through the contemporary syntax of Eurorack modular synthesis.

Ethereal Textures via FM & Physical Modeling Synthesis 

While Carlos’s pioneering work forged a "hot," harmonic-rich analog warmth, this project constructs a sharply contrasting, idiosyncratic soundscape. By heavily utilizing FM and physical modeling synthesis, it strips back the overtones to cultivate a cool, subdued palette and an ethereal texture. The result is a meticulously refined, modern electronic spatiality breathed into familiar classical melodies.

Tracklist:

  1. Johann Sebastian Bach – Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846

  2. Erik Satie – Gymnopédie No. 1

  3. Claude Debussy – Arabesque No. 1

  4. Ludwig van Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement

  5. Johann Pachelbel – Canon

  6. Camille Saint-Saëns – The Swan

  7. Claude Debussy – Rêverie

  8. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

  9. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

  10. Johann Sebastian Bach – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, BWV 147

  11. Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 8 ‘Pathétique’, 2nd Movement

  12. Edward Elgar – Salut d’Amour

  13. Christian Petzold – Minuet in G Major, BWV Anh. 114

  14. Ludwig van Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata, 3rd Movement

  15. Edvard Grieg – Peer Gynt Suite No. 1

  16. Erik Satie – Je te veux

[Live Performance] Live, Electronics in Forest
  • Role: Composer / Sound Designer / Performer

  • Year : 2023

  • Black Box Theater, Seoul Youth Music Center

Multidisciplinary Ambient Soundscape of Nature’s Cycle 
(Multidisciplinary Ambient Soundscape of Nature’s Cycle) 

Expanding upon the meditative, dreamlike ambient tracks created in solitude for inner peace during the pandemic, this multidisciplinary performance brings those soundscapes to the stage on a grand scale. Supported by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, the production revolves around the central theme of "the passage of time in a forest," narratively capturing the shifting seasons from January to December across 12 compositions.

A Multidimensional Convergence of Electronic Music, Traditional Arts, and Sound Art 

Transcending isolated studio sessions, this project collaborates with top-tier artists across various disciplines to manifest a synesthetic stage that dismantles genre boundaries. Anchored by the composer's own piano and synthesizer performances, a diverse array of artistic elements intersect in a peaceful, organic harmony.

  • Chronological Flow: A narrative ambient structure that embodies the 12 temporal shifts of a forest from January to December, realized through tranquil, ethereal textures.

  • Multidisciplinary Convergence: Multidisciplinary Convergence: A holistic art form where the lyricism of traditional Korean music (Jeongga, Minyo, Daegeum/Sogeum), the kinetic energy of a live band (bass, percussion), and the visual depth of media art are layered over icy electronic soundscapes.

  • Acoustic & Sound Art Interaction: Acoustic & Sound Art Interaction: Introducing Tarek Atoui's sound art object, the "Water Instrument," into the ensemble to infuse the refined textures of electronic music with the physical vitality and unpredictable serendipity of nature.

[Credit]

  • Music / Piano & Synthesizer: Donghyuk Heo

  • Media Art: Siyon Jin

  • Percussion: Sangwook Ahn

  • Bass Guitar: Jungyeop Jeong

  • Jeongga (Traditional Vocal): Jungah Ahn

  • Minyo (Folk Song): Seongryong Yeo

  • Daegeum & Sogeum: Hosik Yoo

  • Water Instruments (Sound Art): Tarek Atoui