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Let’s start things off with this, Haim rhymes with time. Just to squash any confusion that might be out there. Made up of Este, Alana and Danielle Haim, these three sisters first performed in their parents band Rockenhaim before forming their own path. Joined by Dash Hutton on drums, the band have been together since 2007 and are now making waves around the world.
Artist Profile
It should be noted that the these girls have been tearing up the LA music scene for some time now but before they were Haim Danielle and Este were part of a short lived teen pop group, The Valli Girls under Columbia Label. After almost a decade as part of the family band Rockenhaim the girls split from their parents. Forming Haim in 2007 just 5 years later the girls would meet producer Ludwig Goransson after putting some music on Myspace, quickly leading to the release of their first EP.
Haim released their first EP, Forever, back in 2012 gaining them a lot of attention from the press and the public. This was followed up by a performance at the South By Southwest festival. Their debut EP provided us with 3 tracks with the title track proving truly awesome, acting as a great debut for the band. The thing with Haim is that you know their songs mean no nonsense and ring with truth. In the summer of 2012 the band supported Mumford and Sons on their Gentlemen of the Road tour in the US. After this successful stint the band then went on to make their move on the UK with a debut tour in November which was swiftly followed by supporting Florence and The Machine on her December 2012 tour, being hand picked by Florence.
In the midst of all this touring, they released their second single ‘Don’t Save Me’ in October 2012. Not only are their songs oozing with style but the girls’ style is somewhat of that hipster edge. This translates perfectly into their videos which have that hipstamatic haze over them. The girls were quickly signed to polydor in the UK, playing in Camden on the same day. Soon after this Haim then supported Ellie Goulding’s stint at the iTunes Festival 2012. The girls would go on to have their own headline night in 2013 at the same festival.
2013 and their survival
2013 has undoubtedly been a brilliant year for Haim. After garnering attention in 2012 it was a case of a waiting game to see just what they would have in store for us. They kicked off the year topping the BBC sound of 2013 poll, with NME declaring the title track of their Forever EP as the #4 track of 2012. In February the band released their third single ‘Falling’, offering a sound with a cascading chorus and a funk edge.
Managed by ROC NATION, the band spent the summer playing at festivals, including Glastonbury and Leeds, around the country. Backing up that they are quite possibly the coolest band around right now. As well as their own set at Glastonbury the sisters also provided backing vocals on three of Primal Screams tracks. At the same festival diabetes proved it might be a hurdle for Este, who despite urging from her sisters to get off the stage still continued. Some might say that was foolish but others pure brilliance, showing just what these girls are made of.
‘The Wire’, the bands 4th single was released just before the album serving as a taster for more to come. After waiting all year for the album this just prolonged the wait for Days Are Gone to drop. ‘The Wire’ provided a sound that seemed a little different to what we would expect, with some fans disliking the difference between the live version the girls performed. Successfully blending pop and R&B with rock and a bit of folk in a song all about the ending of a relationship in a slightly upbeat manner. This song was without doubt reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac with a slight edge to it.
After a summer on the move, the three piece finally released their debut album Days Are Gone in September which went straight to the number 1 spot in the UK. The album showed just what Haim were capable of and left many impressed. Since they first formed many have likened the sisters to Fleetwood Mac with a mix of 90s pop and R&B. While the album contained a number of previously released songs, a grumble to many, the album showed their capabilities as song writers, offering many twists and turns throughout the album. ‘My Song 5’ is the true 90s R&B homage on the album offering metal guitars with a pulverising bassline.
It’s safe to say that Haim have greatly impressed me over the past year, offering a fresh sound that many of us have truly loved. In the year where Fleetwood Mac nostalgia has reached its peak and topping the hype machine that is the BBC sound of 2013 poll, it was inevitable that they were destined to do well. Regardless, their success is well deserved and stems from a release of a truly brilliant album and a blazing summer rocking out at many festivals. The end of 2013 will go on to see the girls embarking on a sold out UK tour, followed up by further dates in the UK on their 2014 European tour with their dates in the UK already sold out. These girls are here to stay well past 2013 it would seem. With all this success it is no wonder that Haim survived the Apopcalypse.
