Indie-alternative artist, Low Hum has released his hypnotic new track, “Hints.” Low Hum’s Collin Desha is a 13th generation Hawaiian now residing in Los Angeles who brings together a fusion of ambient, rock, and grunge elements in his music. Pairing his delicate falsetto with haunting, complex instrumentals, Desha sets himself apart as a visionary, drawing a line between his experiences and the intimate details of the world around him. Listen to the song now below.
“This is an open letter/diary of shifting feelings that I was going through,” Desha reflects on the writing of “Hints.” “The central idea being everything you need is here in front of you, as long as you can see it. The song was written up in the mountains and you can hear the rain at the beginning of the song hitting the house.” There is a lush, otherworldly quality to “Hints,” both physically and spiritually. Radiating a darkly ethereal energy, “Hints” feels like the sonic equivalent of the dark side of the moon: mystical, enigmatic, and eerie. Blurring the lines between this world and the next, Desha creates an atmosphere that feels enchanting and prophetic as he sings, “Weaving memories / places in my mind / reflecting who I am / hints of what was mine / when did it all become so crystal clear / I sense that all I need is here.”
“The visualizer explores the beauty and destruction through an augmented view of lava. Director James Kid felt it brought out the song’s boldness by showing the earth in its most raw form. Lava has a weird beauty in its destruction and an elegance in how it moves, and we thought this was a perfect visualizer for the song.”
Reflecting on his roots and Hawaii came about after Desha and his band were robbed early on their Fall 2022 headline tour, leading to the rest of the dates being cancelled. The experience, including the total loss of music in progress for his next record, forced Desha to start over. When it came to thinking about beginning again, for Desha all things led back to Hawaii.
“Hints” follows Desha’s single “Only If You Say So” and the announcement of his forthcoming full-length album, Terra Incognita, due May 24th via Last Gang Records (Alice Ivy, Holy Fuck, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton). The track begins with a dark and understated tone, creating an atmosphere of mystical intrigue. As it progresses, “Only If You Say So” builds with intense percussion and frenzied guitars, reflecting Desha’s mounting emotional turmoil and he wrestles with a longing to return home.
The release comes with a music video that was filmed on Oahu and the Big Island. Directed by James Kid (HEALTH, James Supercave), the video represents Low Hum’s fever dream of home and Hawaii.