By Jack
It’s no secret that we’ve long been in thrall to Heir’s sound. On their latest single the West Yorkshire band only become more refined, more precise and more confident. ‘What You Haven’t Got’ is peerless palatial pop.
The band’s reason to live appears to be combining the sheen of mid 80s pop with the butteriest R&B, resulting in a convincing Yorkshire-borne emulation of West Coast yacht rock. It’s melodic as all hell, each verse and chorus bristling with hook upon hook.
This is nostalgia done right. Sure, it has some of the roller-rink bustle of ‘Here Comes My Girl’ by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and a slinky central groove retroactively destined for Songs From The Big Chair, but they render their yearning in crisply contemporary tones. There’s amazing detail in the production, with a ducking and weaving sense of momentum brought about by sleight-of-hand and an array of artfully utilised studio gubbins.
Heir as ever are drawn, magpie-like, towards the shiniest synth tones possible. The production is clean, precise. ‘What You Haven’t Got’ sounds absolutely airtight, a picture captured without a hair out of focus. It’s such a pure and genuine pleasure to listen to.
This is pop music that’s been meticulously coifed and perfumed within an inch of its life. It’s another winner from the five-piece.
Follow Heir here.
Hey Nineteen 