Ever evolving alt-rock outfit HAVVK’s raucous new album To Fall Asleep is a grunge-filled musical endeavour, packing a powerful punch that leaves you pining for more. The highly anticipated album was released on the 15th March via Veta Records.
Made up of Julie Hawk (bass, vocals), Matthew Harris (guitar), and former Bitch Falcon drummer Nigel Kenny, HAVVK’s emphasis is on social issues in their art—from bodily autonomy to “filthy landlords.” These upcoming tracks were primarily recorded in Belfast’s Start Together Studio with producer Rocky O’Reilly (Wheatus, And So I Watch You From Afar).
This is an album about sleep, and the things that keep us awake at night. Talking about the album, Hawk says, “We started talking about sleep a lot as a band a few years ago when I was experiencing insomnia. I was waking up with an unshakable feeling of urgency, like I was forgetting something and then letting my thoughts spiral for hours. Sleep was something I had always taken for granted, so at first this felt like a huge betrayal from my body. But it wasn’t really. Actually, it was my body trying to tell me something. I had to really listen to it, and examine how honestly I was living my life, and how much energy I was giving to things that I didn’t have the capacity for.”
Single “You Say You Won’t” is all about toxic and self-sabotaging habits, and starts with the slow thrum of the bass guitar, building up to heavy drops made for headbanging. The chorus takes the song into a more hopeful sound, contrasted with the lyrics saying “you say you won’t, but you do it again,” which is all too relatable for us all.
Another notable single is “Take It From Me.” An upbeat song that will no doubt be a crowd pleaser to get people on the dance floor, it combines post-punk, hints of ’90s garage rock, and pop energy, with the impassioned vocals tackling the weighty theme of men speaking over women and taking credit for their ideas.
“City Creep” is another get up and dance single which manages to shine a light on an important issue—this time on the impact of the housing crisis on cultural spaces in Dublin. On the single, Hawk says “Every year we’re seeing more spaces shutting down due to costs or because another soulless hotel or commercial space is set to be built. Decisions influences by green and a total lack of understanding of what makes out communities vibrant and special.”
Since moving back to Ireland after fostering music communities in Berlin and London, the three-piece has discovered a new, unabashed confidence. HAVVK have been championed by notable taste-makers like The Line of Best Fit, Clash, The Guardian, DIY and many more, with notable placements on Spotify editorial playlists such as New Music Friday, Alternative Generation, Alternative Ireland, and Fresh Finds Rock, as well as Apple Musicʼs New in Rock and New In Alternative. The band have received national and international airplay from KEXP, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, Radio X, Amazing Radio, RTÉ, and 2FM to name a few
All in all, To Fall Asleep is a moving album in 2 ways—it gets you moving on the dancefloor and it gets you emotionally moving. Activism is at the heart of all HAVVK create, with their music covering a range of topics including inequality, gender-preconceptions, and generalisations faced by different social groups. With an tour currently underway, and critical acclaim achieved for the album, it’s clear HAVVK are a band to keep tabs on.
