It was a hot summer’s day in Los Angeles when I was first introduced to the sweet sounds of Haim. A friend and I were driving down La Cienega Boulevard we had just picked up the sampler EP made of recycled paper, stamped HAIM (a stamp being the official hipster seal of approval yeah).
We listened to it loudly as the sun went down behind the hills and my jetlagged made me feel drunk. It’s was one of those rare moments where I had fallen head over heels instantly. It made me sad to think that the album had leaked last week, I’ve kept away from an illegal download and I’ll do the right thing and buy it on Friday. With producers Ariel Rechtsaid (Major Lazer, Vampire Weekend, Usher) and James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Florence & The Machine, Simian Mobile Disco) I’m excited to hear what San Fernando Valley sisters have delivered.
Beginning the year as the BBC Sound of 2013 winners, off the back of two limited edition EPs and a handful of sold-out UK live dates, HAIM holed themselves up in the studio and spent the next few months perfecting a record that is arguably one of the most hotly anticipated this year (perhaps except for Lorde).
Seductive and smart, HAIM have spent the past 18 months relentlessly touring the globe, building on all the early praise and winning over legions of new fans wherever they play. An undeniable favourite at the Glastonbury Festival (as no strangers to the big stage, following stadium and arena shows with Mumford & Sons and Florence & The Machine), the band recently ticked off Australia where they played Splendour in the Grass and sold out sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne. A little fact you may not know, is that Haim appear on our album of 2013 - Portugal. The Man’s Evil Friends’ – on the day in the life acid trip ‘Purple Yellow Red & Blue’.
Instead of watching the latest single ‘The Wire’ let’s go way back to ‘Forever’. My favourite to date, and a film clip I can respect [WTF is going on in The Wire? Seriously!!]
Their debut album Days Are Gone drops this week and you can preorder it on iTunes or pick it up in its physical form in record stores on Friday and the girls have just been announced on the RIDONKULOUS Laneway Festival lineup for 2014 so you’ll need a copy to learn all the words for the impending sing-a-longs.
Bonus Beats - Este from Haim recently compiled a pretty damn cool playlist for BBC radio, which showed off her/their surprisingly great taste in music.
The Strokes, MGMT, Prince, Grimes, Kendrick Lamar (“like the best rapper evah”), Beastie Boys, Foals, The Pixies, Depeche Mode (what is it with Americans and Depeche Mode??), Television & Vampire Weekend all got a look in to create a eclectic mixed bag of tunes that’s well worth a spin.
These things never stay up on the BBC site long enough so we recreated the playlists in handy YouTube (below) and Spotify form for you to enjoy.
-Vik J
