Sororal trio HAIM, of dancing hypnotically in-sync and Taylor Swift-adjacency fame, return with their new single “Relationships”. An understated paean on the futile nature of all human romance, it’s a surprisingly affirming listen.
Lyrically, the song is relatable in its disdain for “fucking relationships” – you can almost hear Danielle’s lip snarled in disgust as she sings of her fatigue with the whole malarkey. Musically, it is–dare I say it–very The 1975-esque (Matty Healy opposers be warned), including a funky final half that sounds not dissimilar to “Sincerity is Scary”. So are relationships, I guess.
Something particularly underrated about HAIM is their funniness, and “Relationships” is no exception. The single cover parodies the infamous paparazzi shots of Nicole Kidman following the finalisation of her divorce from Tom Cruise: the sisters stretch their arms out in the sun, freed from the “guilty conscience” and “conflict” of a fuckin’ relationship. There’s also something mildly touching about the track–lyrics such as “is it just the shit our parents did?” pondering the contempt-filled underbelly of many Gen X relationships. Is the younger generation being too sensitive, or is everybody else just not being honest enough? Whatever the answer, HAIM don’t care to hear it.
“Haim” by nan palmero is licensed under CC BY 2.0.