Having teased fans with a couple of new songs, “Good To Be Young” and “Seen The Boreal”, over the summer, Ed Riman has finally let the cat out of the bag about his second Hilang Child record. It’s called Every Mover and will arrive on January 8 through Bella Union.
He reveals “I wanted it to sound a bit gutsier than the first album… heavier and closer to the kind of stuff that hits me when I go to shows or blast music in the car… I also wanted the album to roughly follow the mental flow of feeling worthless, then recognising it, then accepting your shortcomings and trying to work on it, then coming out unscathed on the other side.”
We’ve already heard that bolder, more daring sound in the previously released singles, and it continues in the mountainous new track that he’s sharing today, “Anthropic (Cold Times)”. The new song is “a summary of the album’s message: a pledge to break free from the chains of insecurity and social comparison, instead learning to love and appreciate the beauty around us and, most importantly, in ourselves. The chaos of 2020 has breathed a new meaning into it for me, which I never foresaw; I see in it a general statement of hope for a future in which we leave behind these difficult times and find unity.”
“Anthropic (Cold Times)” begins with a gentle current of looping electronics, giving it a caressing grace that perfectly frames Hilang Child’s wide-eyed and open-hearted voice. In the chorus, an injection of synth adds a thick, electrifying presence that elevates Hilang Child’s vocal as he stretches to express from the very depths of his soul. All around are sparkles of piano, sax and more sonic wizardry that hover like glowing clouds in the sky, giving the impression that we’re standing alongside Hilang Child at the top of a great vista, surveying the vast expanse of possibility ahead – as long as we maintain focus on what is truly important in life. Reminiscent of the careworn anthems of Bon Iver, “Anthropic (Cold Times)” bears grandiosity in both sound and emotion, but speaks to something fundamental inside all of us.
You can watch the video for “Anthropic (Cold Times)” below. Hilang Child tells us: “The DIY video features my brother Harley Riman and close friend Jack Dunn skateboarding on a couple of warm days back in the summer. It was edited by Jack and myself.”
Hilang Child’s new album Every Mover comes out on January 8 through Bella Union (pre-order). You can find Hilang Child on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp.
