Music – and art – are mostly a reaction to everything that’s around us. It’s a way to deal with issues and feelings, a sort of self-exorcism against fear and uncertainty. Naturally, artists are influenced by the world around us, reacting to it, following societal and landscape changes. This was also the case for Chicago sonic wiz Ha Subliminal, a talented multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer who’s a veteran of the music industry, and a beacon of creativity.
‘Reel In’ is his latest effort, a preview of what the newly coined Ha Subliminal project stands for. In it, the listener will find transformative material, ranging from folk to electronica, from pop to post-punk. In a departure from the post-hardcore of Pink Avalanche and Atombombpocketknife, Arthur (the human behind the record) has crafted an electronic-infused sound that is both thoughtful and simplified.
The inception of Ha Subliminal was a product of the artist’s tumultuous emotional landscape, coloured by his own cancer treatment, the pandemic, the race-centred upheaval of 2020, and relationship struggles. In response, he turned to music, writing songs around drum loops and bass lines rather than guitar. This gave rise to the unique sound that defines the EP.
Recommended! Discover ‘Reel In’ on Youtube, and look out for the longer EP arriving on March 24th:
