In blurring the divide between slacker rock and dream pop, Leeds based quintet Van Houten weave ethereal soundscapes that retain a human core, grounded by the honest writing of lead Louis Sadler. The effect is a clever one, allowing the band to fully inhabit a slightly surreal world of languid tones and washed out colours while maintaining a connection to reality, the lyrics acting as a thread that we can follow back to the recognisable, the relatable and, at times, the surprisingly dark.
The band credit producer Martin Smith as a key figure in the development of such a style, his talents allowing them to embrace a new, rich aesthetic on their forthcoming self-titled debut. “When making the album, we were able to finally sculpt the vintage Hi-Fi sound that we have always been searching for but have never been able to achieve,” Sadler explains. “The title is Van Houten because this is the first work we have created that truly represents our band. This new sound is the true sound of our band.”
Released today, lead single ‘Moon’ is here to whet your appetites for the record. The album’s opener, the song is an ideal introduction to the Van Houten spirit, kicking into easy rhythms that shift and shimmer in languorous eddies. When Sadler’s vocals emerge, their smooth tones are entirely in keeping with this style, crooned across a field of heat haze and mirages. However, the longing that becomes clear in the promises of the lyrics is in part based around looking past such illusions, trying (and failing) to seize the moment and let a loved one know just how much they mean to you before they inevitably leave.
“Moon is essentially a very personal love song,” Sadler says. “It explores the fleeting qualities of love and the desperation of wanting to give somebody anything and everything. The line ‘You always leave so soon’ describes how a crush or loved one always seems to leave before the one chasing has chance to show the full potential of their affection.”
3rd August, Peddler, Sheffield
24th August, This Must Be The Place Festival, Belgrave, Leeds w/ Bill Ryder Jones
4th September, The Social, London
