The debut EP ‘WAVESTATE’ by HULLAH, can be compared to a sonnet of a transitional period – it contains complex, contradictory feelings of its author, left after a year of inner struggle and reflection. In his new record, very personal and deeply introspective, the London artist HULLAH, originally from the Midlands, reveals his signature style of atmospheric electronic pop. Few are willing to speak so openly about their constant struggle with chronic illness and pain, the daily challenges they face, and how these hardships intertwine with their search for freedom and personal sanctuaries. The artist reveals a difficult truth:
“Living with a disease and daily pain, the hours spent dancing is like a marathon to me. Yet the club is a place of worship and helps me get out of myself. I enjoy the freedom and courage I find in myself to dance alone, to let go. As a queer person, it’s also about finding pockets of safety and freedom even within “straight” spaces. I can feel less perceived. I can be unknown.”
Photo by @kcy.l
The songs on the ‘WAVESTATE‘ reveal an inner drama mixed with tension, loneliness, an attempt to find a connection, and humility in the face of inevitable changes. The EP includes three original tracks and three atmospheric experiments with elements of spoken word, and serves as a continuation of his key singles ‘What if I feel like this my whole life?’ and ‘Roads‘, released earlier this year. The opening, brief track ‘we are resident aliens (intro)’ acts as a scene from a movie, serving as a transition into a new, unexplored stage of life after isolation, already vividly unfolding in the track ‘What if i feel like this my whole life?’. What lies behind these words? In this song, HULLAH openly shares his experience of overcoming the pain he faces every day due to his illness.
The arrangement in the track is original and inventive, with an engaging combination of rhythmic elements – a true sonic intrigue. The soft, sensual rhythm instantly pulls into the world created by HULLAH, where ethereal sounds intersect with bouncy synthesizer basses, forming the perfect foundation for his enveloping, slightly provocative vocals. The track reveals its dreamy nature with a hint of darkness, adding a touch of vintage romance. ‘What if I feel like this my whole life?’ gained attention and support from BBC Introducing, which highlighted the artist as a ‘future headliner‘ and presented the single live on air.
In the track ‘sweet and subtle danger (interlude)’, there is a transition to more relaxed things, and these are the tracks ‘Long nights’ and ‘Roads‘ – intensifying the driving electronic groove and the signature sound of HULLAH. Imagine a mesmerizing blend: atmospheric synthesizers wrap around you, clear percussion adds rhythm, and the sensual bass groove conveys something otherworldly. The vocals smoothly transition from languid melodies to subtle, electronically tinted notes of anxiety, revealing an inner world full of contradictions.
‘Long nights’ conveys uncertainty in the face of the unknown and a new world. Without a doubt, HULLAH’s approach to songwriting is unique. And the bright track ‘Roads’ offers much more – it is a song of reflection, a look at his life, awakening memories of the consequences of a wild nightclub life. In the single, the artist discusses themes of mental health and inner well-being, trapping darkness and mystery in his sound. The wise moments of the song clash with the drive-hungry grooves and unconventional, spacious elements.
From the club-like, bright rhythms of ‘Roads’, we approach the thoughtful finale ‘it’s still a beautiful world (end)’, in which the sound is a conversation with oneself. In the thick layers of synthesizers cutting through space, in the anxious whisper, in the electronic distortions, the question is heard: ‘Will I ever feel truly alive?’ With the help of sounds, he conveys his feelings. The peculiarity of HULLAH lies in his tireless pursuit of experiments and creating something completely new.
WAVESTATE is a title that embodies two main ideas: the fluidity and complexity of emotions, mental states in which his tracks were born. The EP reflects the endless movement of daily experiences, the chaos that meets the ordered external reality. Inspired by iconic pop artists such as Pet Shop Boys, Christine and the Queens, and Everything But The Girl, HULLAH begins his journey, confidently paving the way as an innovator of alternative electronic pop music. Undoubtedly, his music is captivating.
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