Deaf Havana are back with their brand new album The Present Is A Foreign Land, an album that very nearly didn’t see the light of day when the band were ready to go their separate ways in 2020. The pandemic provided forced time upon them to stop and reflect and despite the discussions around calling it a day, Matty Veck-Gilodi continued to write songs and it was this that held Matty and his Brother James Veck-Gilodi together to continue as a two piece. ‘The Present Is A Foreign Land’ is a reflective and open account of the realisations and considerations that one faces when you start to hit your late 20’s/early 30’s and will easily resonate on a deeper level with fans in this age bracket.
Opening with ‘Pocari Sweat’ the tone of the album is clear from the outset and there’s no misunderstanding this account of James Veck-Gilodi’s experiences and how they’ve framed the context for The Present Is A Foreign Land. Quite cleverly these themes crop up throughout the album with “19Dreams” talking on the present and simultaneously reflecting on the time that flew by, considering how the duo didn’t stop to reflect on how they got to this stage and juxtaposing chasing the same dreams for the last decade with thoughts of feeling jaded in the face of life experience as well as loss, lack of motivation and struggling with ageing.
Elsewhere in the album a highlight come from ‘Nevermind’ an acoustic ballad accounting hopelessness, low self-esteem and lack of self-worth. It’s an outpouring complimented by James Veck-Gilodi’s raw vocal delivery and poignant tone carried through by his melodic rasp. “On The Wire” provides an upbeat reprieve with a roaring arena-ready anthemic chorus and the band’s usual strong delivery of melody.
Some of the pop-centred sensibilities are still present from the band’s previous album RITUALS which is evident in the likes of ‘Someone / Somewhere’ that leans away from a guitar-lead sound and more towards a boppy electronic synth-laden sound and dance/pop nature. The track tries something a bit new and is complimented by IDER who feature on the track. It’s Deaf Havana as you haven’t heard them before and fans of the aforementioned RITUALS era of the band will likely dig this.
‘Help’ includes horn sections and feels like a nod to the ‘Old Souls’ era whilst the title track shows the band flexing their creative freedom. The staple Deaf Havana sound has shifted but James Veck-Gilodi’s signature vocals sit all over this with a level of newfound freedom to explore the openness and honesty that he has always worn on his sleeve. ‘Kids’ and ‘Going Clear’ also try something a little new but by no means does it feel like a departure from the band’s sound, the anthemic qualities remain but both songs fuse electronic influences and intricate synths with the band’s well known song structure.
It is clear to see the inspiration well has not run out for Deaf Havana and The Present Is a Foreign Land feels like the culmination of the bands separate bodies of work from their previous three albums. Highlights from said albums and some of the standout elements and components can be heard throughout the album drawn together by some of the bands staple sounds that have defined them for the past decade. An eclectic mix of influences and clever inclusion such as Folk, Pop and Alt Rock diversify this album brilliantly. There is still a common thread which is the bands ability to tell a story in an open and honest way as well as portraying a certain rawness and vulnerability in their music that still provides one of the main draws for the band on the whole.
The Present Is A Foreign Land see’s Deaf Havana hone their sound and reach new heights sonically and atmospherically. It’s a brilliant collection of songs and their concoction of influences fused together breathes life into their strong back-catalogue, continuing the narrative of a band that clearly struggle with imposter syndrome and aren’t afraid to be honest about this. There is a level of uplifting exuberance and stylistic shift with what feels like a level of creative comfort in songwriting but fundamentally Deaf Havana remain the same band bringing relatable bangers from places of misery.