Honne
‘Baby Please’ + debut video for ‘Warm On A Cold Night’
Debut single released September 22 via Super Recordings
“Lusty, late night, urbanite…an emphatic statement of things to come” NME
“After-hours, dub-step soul, this a sensational, sit-up-and-listen debut” Sunday Times
“A lush, seductive jam…perfect” Nylon
“In one fell step, Honne have established themselves as a potent, provacative new voice” Clash
“Ok, it’s 3.17 AM. You’re tuned in with your main man, Tommy Inglethorpe. This next song’s gonna keep you warm on a cold, cold night. So if you don’t got a lover, just close your eyes. And listen, to Honne.” Introduced by a late-night, US Radio DJ, this is the immediate and immersive world of Honne: a soulful electronic duo who’re in fact from Somerset and Wiltshire via Bow. Singer Andy met producer James on their first day of University, where they immediately hit it off. Slowly they set about developing their sound and production skills, before a trip to Japan instilled the idea of Honne: a Japanese word for “True Feelings” with no Western equivalent, describing the contrast between what one really thinks, and what they project to others. It proved a perfect fit for songs which frequently address private passions, and their playing out in public.
Warm, sensual but full of groove, Honne’s first single, ‘Warm On A Cold Night’, feels inspired by the intricate productions of Frank Ocean, the smooth R&B of Inc., and more vocal-led, classic Soul artists such as Bill Withers. It’s a beguiling and romantic mix, lyrically tracing the journey of two people running away together, and giving everything to one another. Further contributing to the night-time atmospherics, Honne wrote the song in the dark, in under two hours, and between jobs teaching music in schools (James would frequently write chord progressions whilst waiting for students to show up). The results are evocative and escapist, in stark contrast to Honne’s more DIY, homespun productions (the sample of the American DJ in the opener is in fact the pair’s housemate, who made him up).
The video to ‘Warm On A Cold Night’, premiering today, was choreographed by Fionn Cox-Davies. Beautifully adapting the warmth and soul of the track, the clip captures the journey of two people utterly in love, utilising the intimate dance techniques of contact improvisation. Part two of the video will form the next Honne release.
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