Since their first release in 2022, Brighton based four piece Holler have quickly cemented themselves as one of the most exciting musical prospects around.
Their unique blend of traditional, upbeat jingle jangle and prevalent undertones of shoegaze has, in my eyes, set them miles apart from their contemporaries and to the front of the queue in becoming the next generation of indie disco royalty.
So one would expect then, that an end of April release from the South Coast’s most promising blue sky boys (and girl) would be perfect to accompany the beginning of warmer weather and bluer skies. Well, whilst the weather hasn’t exactly played ball, it’s almost like Holler saw it coming.
‘Doubt’ is the release in question and whilst I will be the first to admit that things are different. They have most certainly changed for the better.
Let’s take the guitars for a kick off. Where once lived chirpy, flirtatious motifs is now the stomping ground of confident, assertive riffs that will hold their own on the very biggest of stages. They are truly something to behold.
The drums too are punchier and more immediate than ever before, adding to this new found maturity and confidence that I hope the band continues to bask in for years to come.
I suppose you could say the price for all this “bigness” is the erosion of that light and breezy demeanour that appears to have served Holler extremely well thus far. And I suppose I would have to agree.
However, I would then immediately disagree that such a pivot was a bad thing.
After six singles and an EP, I relish seeing the band do something different. Largely because more than anything, a progression in artistic direction highlights what makes them who they are. Lucas Leitch’s gorgeously airy vocal has never sounded better, The Choruses have never been catchier and the vibe that has always set Holler apart has never been more present.
If anything, business as usual would have been detrimental to this track as whilst the instrumentation has taken a step or two towards the dark side, so have the lyrics.
They describe the struggles of entering a new relationship and finding it hard to be vulnerable with someone whilst feeling trapped within their own worries and doubts. See what I mean?
To conclude, I think “Doubt” is by far Holler’s strongest release to date. It is simultaneously everything I have come to love from them and a step in a very exciting direction that, embarrassingly, I didn’t see them taking. They are on tour in June and if you decide to catch them in Manchester, I will see you there.
Written by Iwan Grant
