What’s in a band’s name? Does it make a difference to your perception of the artist? Does it matter? We recall a pub conversation many years ago in which our friend declared with conviction that you “shouldn’t name your band anything you can’t imagine being declared over the PA at Wembley stadium“, as the announcer introduces you onstage to the giant crowd. Well, ladies and gentleman tonight we introduce you to…”Bluuuuuuuue Hawaiiiiiiiii”!
OK, so that doesn’t quite work, but one glance through the blog posts that have covered the Montreal duo, Blue Hawaii, since their arrival on the blogosphere back in the middle of last year, will find reoccurring links between the band’s name and their sound. It’s almost impossible to avoid when describing the tunes they construct, as they make songs that perfectly match their moniker’s imagery. This is a lesson in making the music first and choosing the band title second. Fuck Wembley, this name is perfectly pitched.
The duo are actually a romantic couple, Raphaelle Standell-Preston and Alexander Cowan. You will no doubt recognise Raphaelle’s voice from her band Braids, which has parallels with Blue Hawaii’s sound, although she talks of it being more peaceful and less “angsty” than her other, more established band’s sound. The pair travelled through the climates of Belize and Guatemala and cite this as a direct inspiration for this “love project“. The calming, tropical, patient shape of each track is as refreshing and relaxing as you would imagine following their months writing in equatorial climates.
They’ve already released an EP, Blooming Summer, through the excellent independent label, Arbutus Records. One particular aspect they mentioned as a specific influence is the activity of swimming in clear oceans. This is a theme throughout, as each song is crafted in a way that shares the same peaceful feeling you get from immersing yourself in crystal waters. The first single was a track called Dream Electrixra and is perhaps the most alluring of the available tracks to date. As with most of their songs, there’s tiny details throughout, as minute raindrop synths splash in the background as the voices hit heights even cats with hearing aids wouldn’t manage to hear.
Elsewhere, Lilac, is a great introduction point for the band’s signature moves. It being the musical equivalent of water lapping at sandy shorelines, arriving in slow, gentle waves that wash in and out. It’s the definition of relaxation. However, our favourite tune to date has to be Blue Gowns as they turn on the style, particularly with the vocals. It reminded us of Bjork’s intonation and the bolder lyrics of jealousy are razor sharp. The vocals once again give direction to the misted melodies, but as the song evolves you notice the beats layer up like a funnelled whirlpool around the impossibly addictive melody.
This project has had to be placed on hold whilst Braids takes off on some continuous touring, but we hope it’s re-visited, with perhaps a full album on offer in the near future. With talented, artistic people such as this it’s almost impossible to imagine them losing the urge to make music that clearly gives them a release beyond other projects. They are planning to perform at this year’s CMJ festival, so if you’re in New York it might be worth a calming visit during all the dashing around. We believe they’d be worth the effort, as otherwise you could be waiting some time before they appear at Wembley. (MB)
BLUE HAWAII – BLUE GOWNS
BLUE HAWAII – LILAC
BLUE HAWAII – DREAM ELECTRIXRA
