10 years older and just as magical
Tell me, these lyrics don't belong in 2024.
I faithfully remember how HUMAN HANDS's selftitled, debut LP soaked me in right from the start. Released in January of 2014, it remained my favorite record of said year and 10 years later it's safe to call it a modern classic of Emo-music.
Personally I got in contact with them three years earlier, after ordering their selftitled 7inch from 2011. I too knew some of their various split releases up 'til 2014 and always respected them, though they never quite blew me away. I think they really reached the next level with their LP in terms of songwriting, compositions and intensity. On top of it, and even more important, they truly began to shine on that new format. This LP is that kind of LP that takes its time to absorb you piece by fuckin' piece. They weren't able to do just that with one song on a Split, but they masterfully did it with these 6 songs.
Yes, it's only 6 songs, but that's one thing I always loved about this record. All of these tracks matter and there's no moment wasted. They are magically tied to one another -especially if you listened front to back numerous times- and very homogenously in their sound and feeling, yet they distinct a lot from one another. "Disease" might be the most important song of the record, as it's the perfect opener that pulls you in from the first tone. Hearing this 10 years later, it's as touching as ever. The simplicity of that track is the most beautiful thing about it and the most beautiful thing about HUMAN HAND's music in general. My personal favorite HH-song ever, "Remain", is next and the one question remains: How epic can you get in 3 short minutes? The lyrics still run me over like a truck and damn, that climax at the end might be one of the best moments in the history of music. "See Saw" always was the most un-flashy track of the bunch in my perception. But with time I truly appreciated the tinderness of this song. The positivity of "String" is what makes it something else. A comment on their Bandcamp shows how much all of these songs meant to certain people: "This song changed my life". "Dust" always was my fav on the flipside and it kept all its impact. The lyrics are shockingly honest, the interplay of the guitars is simply excellent just as the vocal harmonies. I love this track. The closer "Without Warning" then is not only the longest but also the most vicious track on the LP, with doubled screams and a finale that is as destructive as the beginning of the album was cautious. What a record! What a band that was!
Adding a few words about their categorization, they always reminded me of INDIAN SUMMER, STILL LIFE and some similar bands of the early to Mid-90s. In their softer moments they even recall MINERAL, as they feel as airy as them. Essentially I always felt that they were cooking up their own style and in 2014 they sounded like nothing else around. Heck, even in 2024, I don't think anything came close to this in the last 10 years. HUMAN HANDS first LP truly is an undeniable classic and one of the best and most touching Emo-records of all time!
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