High.’s dreamy and dramatic “In a Hole” is an all-consuming fever dream of gauzy, glistening grunge: A wash of heavy, thick sound drenches the ears in waves, immersing the senses and demanding our undivided attention as the New Jersey band craft music that physical aches from the inside out.
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Stream: “In a Hole” – High.
High.’s fifth career single is an all-consuming fever dream of gauzy, glistening grunge.
A wash of heavy, thick sound drenches the ears in waves, immersing the senses and demanding our undivided attention as the New Jersey band craft music that physical aches from the inside out. Released September 24th via Kanine Records, “In a Hole” is dreamy and dramatic, delicate and dynamic, propulsive and gentle – a dichotomy of feelings all packed in with leagues of lush, reverb-laden guitar. It’s a perfect mesh of the ‘grunge-gaze’ genre High. espouse, and a tantalizing four minutes into which we can all sink our ears, our heads, and our bodies.
In a hole,
I never thought you’d find me here
In my home,
I used to dream about peace
In my heart,
I always knew we were meant to be
Now don’t leave me
And I’ll name you number one
“‘In a Hole’ is inspired by meeting our group of friends,” lead vocalist Christian Castan tells Atwood Magazine. “It’s about being depressed, and the people close to you dragging you out of it. It’s about the peace and belonging I used to dream about during childhood trauma and finally finding it. There’s a lyric – ‘These are the new stars, they burst alive.’ It’s about living life at its best and never wanting that feeling to end.”
Castan goes on to describe “In a Hole” as a reflection of those moments when we feel completely trapped, yet still yearn for something more.
“It’s about embracing vulnerability and acknowledging the struggle, but also the hope that comes with it,” he adds. “I wanted to create something raw and honest that resonates with anyone who’s faced their own battles.”
In a hole,
I closed my eyes and went to sleep
In my heart,
I always knew we were meant to be
“I think as far as the simple chorus and lyrics, my inspiration was a Billy Corgan interview,” Castan continues. “He said you could say whatever you want and it could be simple; as long as the emotional value was there and it fit the song, it’s good. He hated the songs he wrote as a kid and was ashamed after he started working with high-level musicians. Later he realized he loved the songs he wrote as a kid and said the emotional value had more weight than anything technical in music.”
Castan is joined by Bridget Bakie (bass, vocals), Jack Miller (drums), and Danny Zavala (guitar), who round out High. as a four-piece. “In a Hole” is the lead single off the band’s upcoming sophomore EP Come Back Down, due out January 24th.
These are the new homes that we will find
Don’t run and hide
These are the new stars and they burst alive
I feel alive
Now don’t leave me
And I’ll name you number one
“We’re really excited to put out new music,” Bridget Bakie says. “The first song off this EP and the first song on vinyl. It took us a long time to get this song right, and it took a lot of rewriting, but it’s very meaningful to us. It represents the time it was written. I love that the first line is ‘in a hole I’d never thought you’d find me.’ It pokes fun at our band name and our common theme of the highs and inevitable lows that come with life. Particularly the high-risk, high-reward life that the band tends to experience together.”
I’ve often gone to shoegaze – and grunge music, for that matter – as a means of drowning out the world and dwelling in my emotions.
Like fuzz on a TV screen, those heavily effected guitars can be their own special kind of balm.
The sheer weight of the music acts like a blanket for the soul, and that’s exactly what “In a Hole” feels like at the end of the day: A cathartic quilt of emotionally charged sound, here to calm, to comfort, to soothe, and to inspire.
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Stream: “In a Hole” – High.
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© Aleko Syntelis
© Aleko Syntelis
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