Haim’s debut album blends past and present sounds
The group, made up of three sisters, came to fame with the single “The Wire.”
Days are Gone, the debut album of sister–trio Haim, combines elements of the best of 70s, 80s, and 90s with new and exciting sounds of the progressive Indie-Rock genre. The album’s varied vocals show similarities to those of Stevie Nicks – that is if she had two sisters to layer her sound with.
Haim, a newcomer to the indie scene, has already been catapulted into the spotlight. The singles of this album, especially the ever-catchy “The Wire,” have been playing on national radios since their releases. The album, released September 30th, continues the success of these tracks.
The band, made up of Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim, quickly became known for their light-hearted and fun presence. The recipient of the BBC’s “Sound of 2013” award, the trio uses their unique familial perspective to create sounds that are relatable yet abstract. Days are Gone acts as a culmination of the band’s aesthetic, playing up on the sisters’ unified sound.
Key tracks include “Honey & I,” a sweetly sung, melodic power ballad–one of the few successes at this type of song since the nineties. The album’s titular track, “Days are Gone,” expressively layers the voices of the three and uses eighties-esque synths for a pleasing blend of sounds both past and present.
With all of the musical throwbacks, one might expect the album to sound outdated. To the contrary, by building off of techniques from the past few decades, Haim springboards the creation of an entirely new sound. “My Song 5” presents a good example of this. The song uses edgy guitar riffs, reminiscent of those of the nineties but transforms their sound into an almost dubstep baseline. Combined with choppy vocals, this song seems too confusing to be good but expertly layered, forms a groovy sound.
The past few years have lacked in producing strong girl groups, but Haim breaks this mold. Following the female groups like Tegan and Sara and Florence and the Machine, Haim takes girl-power themes and makes catchy vocals that are relatable to both genders. Days are Gone promises to be the first hit of a successful career.
