Haiku Hands have returned with a breezy new single titled ‘Shoot The Shot’, described by the band as “an ode to unconventional lives and people who go against the grain because they’re brave and strong enough to”.
Musically, it’s a much more restrained offering from the Sydney and Melbourne-based trio, eschewing their typically brash and explosive dance-pop style for a far cruisier sound. As the group explained in an accompanying statement, the song’s lyrics are inspired by a letter penned by legendary pilot Amelia Earhart, as well as “innovators who forge new paths”.
‘Shoot The Shot’ was one of the last songs written before ‘Haiku Hands’ was released in September 2020, and in the group’s own words, “has an epic [and] emotional feel to it”. As they continued in their statement: “Kind of like the end of a cycle that could also signify the beginning of something new, the song’s lyrics end on ‘it’s the sound of the starting gun’.
“In some way we’d all pushed through personal barriers and pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones in order to birth and be part of Haiku Hands.”
Check out a visualiser for ‘Shoot The Shot’ below:
The new track comes as the second single from the deluxe reissue of the trio’s self-titled 2020 debut album, following ‘Conclusions’ last December. The reissue is out today (February 4) via Spinning Top Records and Mad Decent In addition to the two new tracks, ‘Haiku Hands (Deluxe)’ features alternate versions of ‘Fashion Model Art’ (sans the guest spot from Sofi Tukker) and the Mad Zach-featuring ‘Onset’.
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The group also announced new dates for their national ‘We Got Vinyl’ tour, which is set to kick off on Saturday February 19 with a set at the Gaytimes festival in Gembrook, Victoria. Amid other festival sets at This That, Out of the Woods and WOMADelaide, the band will play headliners in Sydney, Fremantle, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. Tickets for the full run are on sale via Haiku Hands’ website.
In a four-star review of ‘Haiku Hands’, NME’s Ali Shutler wrote: “Fearless in their desire to break out of any pigeonholes but smart enough to play to their strengths, Haiku Hands’ self-titled debut does good on all that live promise and takes on new challenges as the trio adapt to the world around them.
“Right now, Haiku Hands might not be able to play the chaotic live shows that gave them an international reputation, but their self-titled debut is a much-needed burst of euphoric joy that’ll make you feel like you can take on the world. We all need a bit of that right now.”
Last month, Haiku Hands were nominated for Best Original Song Composed for the Screen at the 2021 Screen Music Awards, scoring the nod for their collaborative track with Joelistics and Hermitude, ‘Suck My Cherry’ (which appeared in the film Freaky).
Haiku Hands’ 2022 ‘We Got Vinyl’ tour dates are:
FEBRUARY
19 – Gembrook, Gaytimes Festival
MARCH
4 – Brisbane, The Zoo
5 – Sandstone Point, This That Festival
12 – Adelaide, WOMADelaide Festival
APRIL
9 – Sydney, Metro Theatre
21 – Fremantle, Mojo’s
23 – Busselton, Out Of The Woods Festival
28 – Melbourne, Max Watt’s
MAY
6 – Brisbane, The Zoo
7 – Canberra, UC Hub