Fresh from single ‘Buttercup‘, which we described as “an empowering feminist breakup song,” Vancouver‘s Haleluya Hailu has returned with her debut EP, Greetings and Salutations. Described as “a love letter to 80s nostalgia from someone who’s never seen it,” the EP is more pop-oriented than Hailu’s previous work, combining soulful twenty-first century pop with old-school dancefloor vibes.
This is typified by opening track ‘Breakfast’, which sees Hailu joined by r&b artist Frederick Bantoe. Beginning with neon-soaked synths before segueing into a slick grooves, the song marries throwback and contemporary vibes effortlessly, illustrating how some things don’t change across generations, namely what Hailu describes as “teenage angst, boys, girls and irresponsibility.”
The sentiment extends to the sound too, the EP displaying classic sensibilities while charting its own course. Be it the lush drift of ‘FLOAT’ or spacious and reflective ‘jules <3’, Greetings and Salutations is represents a new generation going through the same old things—wholly recognisable but unique to the contemporary moment.
Greetings and Salutations is out now and you can get it from the Haleluya Hailu Bandcamp page.
