The best way to describe Haikaa is as a true artist; an accomplished author, and an amazing singer/songwriter, we’re so glad to count her as part of our global family. Like so many others in the Fish Pond, Haikaa has truly global roots to draw from, and a worldview which is peaceful, all encapsulating, and respectful.
It feels somehow right to be writing this review, and listening to really solid international music from our family while cruising at 38,000 feet above Hudson Bay on the way to Europe. The wonderful thing about a family of musicians like the Fish Pond, is that there are so many references from others to discover new family members. I thank Mr. Joel Heslop, DJ with Museboat Radio, and musician from Swansea-based band Mr. Spoon, for ‘liking’ Haikaa on Facebook. And there it was. A connection, a positive conversation, and happily a very accomplished new family member we can all learn from.
‘Everything I Know About Love’ starts in a really interesting way, prefacing the main riff with a lovely plain percussive intro and whispered vocal, a shadow of the lyric from the first verse; as a guitarist myself, I loved hearing that beautiful palm-muted acoustic guitar fading in and introducing the melody. What sounds like a Fender Strat, metallic, fulsome, and reverby, plays over it; and so to Haikaa’s vocal.
“You’ve read on books, you’ve seen it
on movies
And things;
About a beautiful kingdom
A princess
A prince;
I can tell our story’s not the same,
Can we say our destiny is to blame”
It’s a build from verse to verse, very “expensive” sounding instrumentals, perfectly performed and captured. The underlying guitar picking and chords are intuitive and quite a joy in themselves.
Then the unbelievable happens. A couple of lines leading out of the verse, then it happens; the hook quite unexpectedly washes over you like a huge warm wave. Goodness me, that chorus is…well, it’s just…unreal. Absolutely beautiful:
“Everything I know about love
I’m sure we’re really meant to be;
Everything I know about love
I’m sure this is it, if you let it be”
For me, this is an almost perfect popular song. Evocative and punchy – the lyrical theme is simple and lovely – it has a great guitar sound throughout, acoustic and electric, and Haikaa’s vocal is naturally fitting; it soars. The way the production has been put together is polished, as it deserves. It’s simply a Work of Art, as is the title of her 2011 album.
We’re very honored to welcome Haikaa to our family in 2013, and we look forward to much more of her music to come.
Visit Haikaa’s profile and listen to ‘Everything I Know About Love’ here.
