Human Contact // The Howl & The Hum – Danni Scott
Released: 29 May 2020
In a year engulfed by loneliness and distance, The Howl & The Hum’s debut album Human Contact is the perfect companion. The lyrical crafting of this album combined with the synth-inspired beats underneath makes for songs you will both cry and dance to.
‘Hostages’ is the best example of the album’s story-telling prowess, exploring love, loss, and loneliness. It is an instant classic, documenting emotions after a breakup as the couple go their separate ways and “fade into acquaintances”.
The lyrics aside, the synth sounds in songs like ‘Hall of Fame’ blend seamlessly with the Britpop inspired title track. The album carries you through its tales with its strong drum beat and genre-shifting undertones, while never veering too far away from the band’s core sound.
This is all stripped back in ‘Sweet Fading Silver’, a longing ballad that showcases the potential that The Howl & The Hum have.
By no means is this an experimental album but it is what 2020 needed. It is a warm blanket weaving you through past relationships and squandered youth. It is the human contact that we have all been sorely deprived of this year.