On the heels of a slew of singles — including "Politicians," "The Parts I Hid Away" and "We Got Gods to Blame" — Australian electro-folk artist Hayden Calnin is sharing his new album What It Means to Be Human in full today via Nettwerk.
The LP follows Calnin's 2020 and 2019 EPs Soon Forever and A Life You Would Choose, as well as his 2016 double-album debut Cut Love Pt 1. & 2. While he's previously focused much of his energy on producing for other artists and composing for television and films, the artist has also shared the stage with the likes of Tom Odell, the Antlers and Matt Corby in his own right.
Of What It Means to Be Human, Calnin said in a statement:
This is definitely a pandemic album. I left the city [of Melbourne] and went down to the coast. I was feeling the buzz and the pandemic hit. I had a lot of time to read about things; think about things. Which I did. It made me angry but also felt really great at times. All these songs are about people-things — I read a lot of Alan Watts and deep-thinking lecturers from back in the day. I like their thoughts on existence and spirituality.
He wrote, recorded and produced the album while in a hamlet off the Australian coastline. The music's existential undertow grounds its cinematic blend of organic instrumentation and electronic flourishes, making it an apt soundtrack for ruminating on the human experience.
Inspired by the Pacific Ocean, What It Means to Be Human features live piano and guitar, flugelhorns and trombones, violins and cellos. "That's the current through the album," Calnin explained. "I was very precious about the horns and the strings, and percussion as well; I wanted the drum kits to feel like they were right there in the same room as you." The richly atmospheric, ethereal quality of his soundscapes envelops you from beginning to end.
By the seaside or in the city, Calnin's got your existential crisis soundtrack covered with What It Means to Be Human.
Listen to the album on your platform of choice below.
The LP follows Calnin's 2020 and 2019 EPs Soon Forever and A Life You Would Choose, as well as his 2016 double-album debut Cut Love Pt 1. & 2. While he's previously focused much of his energy on producing for other artists and composing for television and films, the artist has also shared the stage with the likes of Tom Odell, the Antlers and Matt Corby in his own right.
Of What It Means to Be Human, Calnin said in a statement:
This is definitely a pandemic album. I left the city [of Melbourne] and went down to the coast. I was feeling the buzz and the pandemic hit. I had a lot of time to read about things; think about things. Which I did. It made me angry but also felt really great at times. All these songs are about people-things — I read a lot of Alan Watts and deep-thinking lecturers from back in the day. I like their thoughts on existence and spirituality.
He wrote, recorded and produced the album while in a hamlet off the Australian coastline. The music's existential undertow grounds its cinematic blend of organic instrumentation and electronic flourishes, making it an apt soundtrack for ruminating on the human experience.
Inspired by the Pacific Ocean, What It Means to Be Human features live piano and guitar, flugelhorns and trombones, violins and cellos. "That's the current through the album," Calnin explained. "I was very precious about the horns and the strings, and percussion as well; I wanted the drum kits to feel like they were right there in the same room as you." The richly atmospheric, ethereal quality of his soundscapes envelops you from beginning to end.
By the seaside or in the city, Calnin's got your existential crisis soundtrack covered with What It Means to Be Human.
Listen to the album on your platform of choice below.