Holy Holy are back with their first single of 2021, the sentimental synth pop number 'How You Been'. Tim Carroll and Oscar Dawson tell a tale of heartbreak in the second person, through the perspective of a friend or loved one checking in.
The single is a bit of a return to the Holy Holy we know and love after the wicked curveball that was their last single 'Port Rd'. The duo showed that they aren't afraid to experiment with a collab with African-Australian rapper Queen P (fka P-UniQue) in a track that also featured a virtual choir assembled from fans who recorded and submitted their parts over social media.
'How You Been' on the other hand is more of a straightforward pop tune, with 80s inspired synths and programmed drums as well as a slick guitar solo creating a romantic backdrop for the emotional storytelling of frontman Tim Carroll.
“It has a lot of the hallmarks of what we do,” Carroll said. “At the core of it, it’s a classic Holy Holy song in the sense that there’s real storytelling. A character based, lyrical theme plays out."
“Then there’s Oscar’s emotive chord progressions that subtly influence the way you feel. They feed into the lyrics. You don’t realise why, but you’re listening to the song and certain emotions come up."
'How You Been' and 'Port Rd' were both produced in recent sessions, with the duo working on a new studio album. “There’s a whole bunch more work that we’ve done. I’m really excited about it," Carroll said. "We’re pushing the band in a more kinetic direction. I’m looking forward to people hearing it.”
After these two eclectic singles it's hard to speculate how the rest of the album will sound, but the duo have dropped a few subtle hints. "We’re making a record that can translate into a live show. It’ll make people dance," added Oscar Dawson.
In the meantime though, the duo along with drummer Ryan Strathie and touring members Graham Richie and Matt Redlich are continuing their 'Port Rd' Tour of the east coast, where they'll be joined by Queen P. The shows are almost all sold out but if you're in Brisbane you might be lucky enough to grab one of the few remaining tickets to their early show at the Tivoli on Friday 23 April.
Holy Holy 'Port Rd' Tour
Tickets here
Friday, 23rd April
The Tivoli, Brisbane (early) - LIMITED TICKETS REMAINING
Friday, 23rd April
The Tivoli, Brisbane (late) - SOLD OUT
Saturday, 24th April
The Tivoli, Brisbane (early) - SOLD OUT
Saturday, 24th April
The Tivoli, Brisbane (late) - SOLD OUT
Friday, 7th May
The Forum, Melbourne (early) - SOLD OUT
Friday, 7th May
The Forum, Melbourne (late) - SOLD OUT