From the opening bars of Van Houten’s new single ‘IDK’ you feel the warmth of the sun on your face, and you are transported to a world of gentle breezes, riverside idylls. But this is actually a wistful and allusory take on how the last year has shrunk our worlds; often to just one or a small number of rooms, what Van Houten described as “I got lost inside the mirror again”. The sense of disorientation is reflected in the woozy quality of the arrangement with laid back drums that seem just a little behind the beat, a trembling guitar line, bubbling water keyboards and the musical hero of the song the slide guitar line. It seems to echo the phrase “I don’t know” and its returning motif is welcome every time it drifts in like someone pouring honey on the track.
‘IDK’ is a pensive song, beautiful and thoughtfully written and, though the lyrics may be a meditation on a terrible year, it is exquisitely dressed in gently psychedelic pop which places a calming hand on our shoulder and allows us to phase in and out of reality into Van Houten’s mirror world.
All streaming Links here
Van Houten are Louis Sadler – lead vocalist and songwriter, Henry Beaumont, Jake Wrigglesworth, Jake Ribton & Niall Summerton
Van Houten socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram and they will be playing live 6th August – Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall
IDK Lyrics:
Falling backwards and apart at the seams
I got your message but don’t know what it means
And I got lost inside the mirror again oh, no
Can’t figure out what kind of life I should lead
Can’t figure out what kind of person to be
I’m getting sick and tired of trying to pretend, oh no
Thought I’d found
An end to this open road
But all I’ve found
Is I still don’t know
I dunno
I still don’t know
Tried letting go of all my little regrets
But some things are just so hard to forget
And I remember every word that I said
Oh, no
Thought I’d found
An end to this open road
But all I’ve found
Is I still don’t know
I dunno
I still don’t know
Review by Paul F Cook
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