Seven days ago, once again at The Monarch in Camden, that I have heard for the first time HNTR. Seven days ago, after a small break following the end of Loveless's performance, five men arrived on stage, and it suddenly felt more tense. In a positive way.
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| facebook.com/HNTR.Official |
These five men, with similar but yet different looks, look to have similar but yet different personalities. When the one with the more hipster-ish look seemed to be the more extrovert, the one with the more extra-ordinary look seemed to be the more introvert, yet when you looked at their shoes they look pretty similar, fashionable, but most of all in harmony. This was my first impression of HNTR.
I remember wanting to write down that the five musicians on stage looked extremely shy - and blessed for performing in front of a growing crowd ?- and that you could hear it in their music. And then, a couple of seconds later, I remember taking my phone in a hurry out of my bag and write down " WHAT A VOICE ". All capitals, and in French. This is a prove of my surprise: I was not able to write, speak or think in my second language anymore. The singer's voice had a voice that I had not expected to come out of his body. A strong, a powerful voice that was making the audience speechless. I also remember exchanging looks with a friend before we said, almost at the same time: "They're amazing!" I was charmed.
At this moment, I have decided to pay more attention to the rhythm, the harmony, and their unity during the first song; to know if I could review it.
And everything was there. The confidence of the music, the on-stage presence, the harmony between the drums and the guitars, between the instruments and the voice, between the singer and the supporting voices; it was happening in one band, on one stage. I suddenly felt really small.
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| facebook.com/HNTR.Official |
The echo created by these three different and yet so compatible voices was this "little thing" that made me wanna stay at The Monarch until the end of HNTR's show. Their voices in perfect harmony with the instruments and the silent audience made me afraid of moving, as if it would make this moment go; make the magic go.
On my notes, I have considered the sound of one of their songs to be quite similar to one of my favourite current bands, Mumford & Sons. The same impression of weightlessness that I feel with some songs from "Sigh No More" appeared when I heard them play. And this is a great compliment.
At some point I felt I could feel the music, the emotion that it procured me; I felt like I was flying. Flying over nature with the wind blowing in my face, traveling and feeling the nature, feeling everything that is pure. I felt fearless, limitless, and yet very alive. This is how much HNTR's music was powerful. This is how it affected me.
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In the end the gig lasted for about half an hour - an hour with Loveless - and I feel like I have assisted to one of the best gigs I have been able to go to since I'm in London.
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• Here are some useful links for HNTR: •
HNTR Website: http://hntr.co.uk/
HNTR Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/h-n-t-r
HNTR Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HNTR.Official
HNTR Twitter: http://twitter.com/HNTRofficial
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Have a good day.
xx
