"Where You Gone" by HEK

One of my strategies in writing reviews is to limit the subjects to those which arouse genuine enthusiasm in me so I can pass that onto you in good faith and recommend whatever I'm writing about. Hopefully, that also makes for pieces which ring true.

This is necessarily subjective & I almost certainly rave about songs & artists that not everyone reading can follow me to with as much abandon & equally there are undeniably popular ones whom I pass on because they ring no bells for me.

From time to time though we may approach consensus and that's when things really excite me as I feel groundswells of increasing recognition for artists I admire & the feeling that I have called things right. Thankfully there have been a few such of late.

One of my habits at gigs is to occasionally turn round from looking at the stage & check out the audience. Occasionally this is a bad idea as I get frustrated (OK, angry) when I see people talking, texting, turning their back, going to the bar etc during sets they should be giving their full attention. However when I see 100% rapt attention then that's a very good feeling. From time to time I like to think that I see the odd jaw drop.

This was the case with the HEK set at COVtember on Saturday & it was most gratifying (I've written so many fulsome reviews on this band).

I mentioned in my article on COVtember what a high percentage of the audience were other musicians (so they know what's the real deal) and after the HEK set, I conducted a little straw poll & asked some what they thought. Most had not seen the band before (which increased the effect upon them) and the consensus I mentioned above was not merely that they enjoyed it but were highly impressed with what they'd experienced.

I think (and so do many others) that HEK possess all the attributes necessary to kick onto the next level of their career. If there is anyone better nationally at this type of music then I'm not aware of who that might be.

All of which is a big build up to their latest single, "Where You Gone" which is available from 5^th October.

Their run of songs from their debut "Couche Moi C'est La Vie" has been flawless: one important factor in building this sort of reputation must be keeping quality control at its highest level.

Nevertheless, this one demonstrates not just such standards but positive development. Whereas the writing has been superb & the skills & taste of the band ideal to convey it, I get the sense that HEK are constantly exploring their own potential: not just as individual musicians (that's beyond any sort of dispute) but as a collective entity pooling their talents & creating something more than a sum of the parts.

One word I didn't ever think of using about the HEK songs was "catchy": which frankly   is an omission. Possibly I tend to think that reviews should use more elevated vocabulary (others might say "pompous" I suppose) but I stand corrected after one of the band used it to me. They are beautifully crafted examples of timeless writing which means their power will persist when more ephemeral fads have faded away. She also told me how cross-generational their appeal was which again makes for a broad & deep audience (and explains some of the reactions on Saturday).

I think that the band are freshly minted in terms of what music is in 2024, but that is in no way incompatible with having an understanding of & love for what has gone before: it's a rich recipe for a subtly blended dish.

By no conceivable measure is this a retro band in terms of slavish adherence to templates which have been & gone (and in the meantime worn right through by pure "tribute" bands). This is right on the money but from a band whose guitarist made his own (more tasteful) tribute to a really famous one by quoting a solo at the Empire gig I attended, it's not surprising how little touches of licks & riffs make the song require repeated plays nor how other more fundamental elements such as making prominent use of Lucy's keyboard & of vocal harmonies show HEK honing their trademark sound.

The five instruments & two vocals blend together into one organic whole yet the production is so good that each possesses clarity within it (and on another aside, I know of one highly respected local producer who thinks so highly of them that he canvassed their availability) though I also appreciated the considerable number of drop outs which gave members little showcase moments.

Yes, it's catchy: it lopes along with that elegant motion you'll find in Iggy Pop's "The Passenger": sounds simple but it's not really. Is it their most commercial yet? Well the competition is stiff but you'll not hear me arguing with you. It's compelling & radio friendly & great live (they played it on Saturday so I know) so like the band possesses all the right ingredients: probably just needs that lucky break but if people reading this stream it, acquire it, share it etc, those help.  What it certainly is not is that sort of cynical approach to the justifiable quest for commercial success: there is no aping of other acts nor working to any formula associated with mainstream music. The passion of the delivery is one of their most commendable attributes & if they get the career they deserve, it won't be via artistic compromise.

Accordingly, the lyrics are Reiss' usual sophisticated ones: allusive and instinctive rather than mundanely predictable & banal (he's certainly no devotee of the "how now brown cow" school) and although his intensity (another of their live characteristics) is palpable, you need to dive into his words & run them round your mind before you can decide what they mean to you, let alone him.

This could be The One. In a just world, it should be.