★★★☆☆
In true New Yorker fashion, the HOKO discography strives for enigmatic excellence. With their fifth single release of 2023 “Higher“, HOKO has continued their attention to futuristic electronic beats.
Although the track may appear to lack lyrical complexity, the emotion the band toys with is one suffered by the masses: desperation.
“Higher” begs for a buzz to contradict the absence of an unknown but desired figure. How does the singer live soberly without the one they crave, the one who ignites a joyful buzz in their life?
Recognition of the figure’s absence is painful, as the verses conclude “There’s no way I’m // Getting me out of this one.”
Sonically, “Higher” achieves a hum naturally cohesive with getting high. The sound is playful and energetic as a disconnect from the reality of the loss the lyrics attempt to cope with. Musically, the single achieves the high begged for throughout the song, but in doing so, it removes empathy for the situation occurring lyrically.
Everyone misses someone, but this figure sounds like they won’t be returning to inspire, dream with, or get high with. Despite that absence, HOKO will survive in the buzz of performance that is always uniquely their own.
HOKO is a band committed to fulfilling what they have fought for, whether that be on stage, or through their incredibly eccentric execution of sound. For more of HOKO’s music click the link here!