Ladies and gentleman, HAIM are back, but not as we have known them before. Taking a distinctive turn from their last release ‘Summer Girl’, the Danielle Haim penned lyrics reflect on how it feels to lose herself in an otherwise successful time in her life. 

Nuances of their former sound leave listeners open minded towards their change in direction

Admittedly, this song did not particularly strike my attention upon first listen. It didn’t share the same punchy opening many HAIM fans are used to; the monotonous introductory beat seems to mimic the lyrics themselves, which depicts a frustrated Danielle Haim trying to regain control of her emotions after feeling too consumed by them. The breakdown of the song acts as a refreshing contemplation on the musical entanglement of melody, harmony and rhythm that almost feels overcrowded for the rest of the song. However, for all we know, this could well have been the intention. A musical portrayal of a clouded, overburdened emotional state. 

One can’t help but feel a slight sense of grief when listening to this record. HAIM clearly distinguished themselves as a group that strayed away from the mainstream musical narrative with their distinctive groove melodies; this shift into Synth Pop seems almost unnecessary when they have already established such a strong musical style. Despite this, nuances of their former sound leave listeners open minded towards their change in direction. 

Regardless of what a listener may think of the music itself, it can’t be denied that the candour of this song is refreshing to say the least. Mental health has become a topic in the forefront of many lives and to see HAIM fully embracing their darkest moments and sharing them with their audience is inspiring.  One can only hope that in sharing their experiences, there is a communal sense of hope amongst listeners that things do get better. 

While this track may not be my favourite from their repertoire, it certainly speaks to the feelings of many people today.

‘Now I’m In It’ is available now via Universal Music Operations Ltd