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HAWK tackle Irish abortion laws on new single ‘Below’!
“…waves of heavy percussion and
intertwining riffs." - DIY
"...a raucous dip into empowerment..." - The Line Of Best Fit
“…stunning…” - Noisey
Following their previous majestic release, Sin, Berlin-based HAWK return with the sweeping passion of new AA-side Can’t Explain / Below, out on 17th November 2017 via Veta Records.
Below is also available to stream on Spotify and Soundcloud now.
Inspired by Irish history, the Catholic church and its mistreatment of women, Below oozes a twinkling, ethereal splendour as the spine-tingling emotion of Julie Hawk’s celestial vocals flow. With a rich, haunting grandeur, a shimmering delicacy is juxtaposed with a searing passion and dark undertones, conveying the track’s message with a captivating grace. Julie explains “as an Irish woman, both looking back at how women were treated in the past and the desperate lack of progress today, I feel betrayed by my country. We’re still fighting for basic reproductive rights for women and seeing an embarrassing response from our government.”
Similarly, Can’t Explain is another example of HAWK’s acute social awareness and ability to create powerful soundscapes with a unique, compelling elegance. It was written as a reaction to people’s ignorance and the power privilege has to erase the voices of those who need to be heard. A gritty slice of grunge-filled indie, its propelled by thrashing riffs and a seething passion. Can’t Explain showcases the soaring power of Julie’s vocal at its most intense, as a potent sense of urgency rages throughout.
HAWK originally formed in London in 2014. They now produce all music themselves and have also recently started working with Rocky O’Reilly (And So I Watch You From Afar) to help develop their post-rock sound. In addition to their musical endeavours, front woman Julie is also a skilled illustrator and has recently launched Female Fronted Drawn Together - a project through which she has created a playlist of admirable female bands/musicians and created an illustration to accompany each song.
Since the release of critically acclaimed singles such as Take It Away, Mirror Maze, Once Told and most recently, Sin, HAWK have received support from Noisey, Stereogum, Wonderland, DIY and The Line Of Best Fit to name but a few. Combining an abrasive edge with a beguiling grace, activism is at the heart of all HAWK create, with their music covering a range of topics including inequality, gender-preconceptions, and generalisations faced by different social groups.
Catch HAWK live on 28th September - The Lido, Berlin (w/ The Drums)
AA-side Can’t Explain / Below is out on 17th November 2017 via Veta Records. You can listen to HAWK now on Spotify and Apple Music.