Last year, we received a pair of singles from Mexico City’s garage-turned-darks trio Hawaiian Gremlins, two songs that hinted at an exciting new direction for them. Surprisingly, we haven’t gotten the album yet, but rather a video for the second single, just before 2016 wraps up.
Directed by Felipe Suau of NWLA and co-produced by him and the band, it depicts what seems to be a couple in the midst of breaking up. We see scenes of the pair arguing and feeling alienated from one another, driving down separate roads. Even though the setup is one of discord, the cinematography is gorgeous and meticulous; heartbreak has seldom looked this stylish.
The song itself is the perfect example of Hawaiian Gremlins’ current sound, thanks to its gothic marriage of carefree garage rock bounce (which helped them become heroes in the Mexican underground) and the more reflective post-punk style they have recently adopted. Our only complaint, though, is that their new album will take longer to get to us, perhaps becoming our very own Chinese Democracy. Let’s hope this isn’t the case.