Hype around 3-piece girl band Haim (Pronounced hi-em) has been bubbling away for the last few months since they became one of the most hotly tipped acts at the world renowned Texan new music festival, South By South West. Subsequently, the band have released their Forever EP, been praised by Fearne Cotton and NME, and released a video for the title track of their EP, ‘Forever’.
Made up of 3 sisters from Los Angeles, Danielle Haim (vocals, lead guitar), Alana Haim (vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, percussion) and Este Haim (vocals, bass) and accompanied by drummer Dash Hutton, Haim create bouncy folk/pop/rock music. It all sounds a bit of a mish-mash of genres but the finished product is technically very clean with heavy percussion and lyrics about growing up and heartbreak. Their 3-track Forever EP begins with ‘Better Off’ which builds from an acapella introduction to a chorus of light percussion, soprano backing vocals and bass guitar whilst ‘Go Slow’ combines heartfelt staccato vocals with smooth rhythm guitar riffs.
Title track ‘Forever’ is a bold number with a thick timbre of harmonious backing vocals, funk guitar and a plentiful supply of cymbal splashes. The video, directed by Austin Peters, hit the internet last week and has captured the attention of music lovers everywhere. An assortment of 90s home videos of Haim, interjected by shots of the girls dancing around in a hairdressers and riding down the street on bikes not only shows that these girls are hipsters of the highest degree, but also that they actually have personalities.
Haim are one of the bands which will be supporting Mumford and Sons on their US tour over the summer, and they will also be playing their own headline show in London’s Dingwalls on Monday 18th June. The Forever EP is available now.
