US pop newcomer Haiden releases his debut EP “Good Grief!”, a polished collection of tracks highlighting his true pop brilliance. Delivering his debut body of work after a fair few viral hits, Haiden shows no sign of stopping his reign anytime soon.
Opener “Can’t Hurt Me”, the first number to touch on toxicity in relationships, is a sea of guitar waves that filter through to your ears with a silky ease. His most stripped-back single, Haiden quickly establishes that he’s a songwriter with a knack for capturing tricky thought processes. On the anti-love bop “Sorry To Your Next Ex“- and absolutely banger for that matter- this track draws on rockier sounds to remind your ex exactly what they already knew: you’re too good for them.
While “Wasted” is a self-reflective moment of dark pop, the contrasting light and dark tones construct a personal fight with the turmoil of toxic relationships. It’s a statement of controlling behaviours that restrict you from being and doing whatever and whoever you want. Cleverly tracklisted next, “DUMP HIM” is an in-yer-face guitar-pop number that reaches out to an ex who hasn’t quite cut you off. A confrontational questioning of where your loyalties really lie, the single is the musical equivalent to that Britney crop. The guitar lines are incredibly addictive, leaving you unable to stop yourself from screaming the chorus at the top of your lungs.
Closing the EP with latest single “Good Grief!”, a slow-building ballad that once again solidifies Haiden’s ability to tranform a story into an infectious song. Haiden told us: “This song means a lot to me because it’s the type of story that made me fall in love with music. Making songs with a slow burn can be difficult in a time where most people’s goal is to go viral, but it’s why I do what I do.”
Unafraid to pour his heart out into his music, hitting the hard notes with tough themes, Haiden’s transparent songwriting is effortlessly charming. Saying things in a way that some people just can’t quite put into words, proves that Haiden is one of us. Offering a shoulder to cry on, a night out on the tiles or simply a reminder of your self-worth, “Good Grief!” is an EP that speaks of the millennial experience: love, loss and heartache in the digital age.
