The Californian rock band crafts this autumn “the idea of a record that sounds like changing the channels on a TV – distinct but still able to be enjoyed as a whole” as HUNNY’S guitarist Goldstein explained.
HUNNY’S New Planet Heaven is their second studio album that mixes pop and indie rock with bittersweet tints of new wave. No doubt, the record has a dynamic sound composition throughout the 14 tracks, and it does a great job at keeping the band’s essence. Starting with “bothering,” the first remarkable trait of this album shows up in the very first few seconds. The small synth-pop intro is an outstanding feature that will prevail in mostly all tracks. As such, all intros are smooth electronic melodies that rhythmically progress into elaborated rock beats.
The record seems to have been produced in the old-fashioned style thanks to the presence of classical instruments such as guitar, drums, and bass. However, the sounds of multiple elements, like piano and saxophone, is what makes it superb from other pop-rock albums. Also, the tiny but careful and well-placed musical arrangements in each melody set an aura of gloominess combined with excitement. In addition, the three released videos match visually the album vibes and aesthetic by implementing pale but diverse color palettes and vintage recordings.
“action –> reaction” is a pretty chill song with a rhythmic guitar that works well in terms of depth. The lively tune does not have much high pitch vocals, which matches and balances perfectly with the essence of the track. “There’s a sense of distance but also warmth to all our favorite songs, and that’s an element we wanted to bring to the album” the guitarist commented on this track.
Watch the music video for “big star,” the track that follows “action –> reaction,” below.
Furthermore, “my own age” is especially notable because of its rhythmic transition in the album. The addition of a purely new wave intro and the change in the vocal’s sound makes it unquestionable that the musical inspiration behind the song was The Cure. Whereas “nothing amazing happens” gets inclined more to be a punk-ish tune because of its loud and yelling chorus. Whereas “palm reader” sees off the record with so long lyrics throughout the tune. A suitable closure for such an emotional and spirited album. Overall, the record keeps its main sound core to the point of having easy going musical transitions combined with a lowkey mixture of elements.
New Planet Heaven is out today, October 6, via Epitaph Records. Alongside this release, the band will be touring the US and Canada this fall.
