Track Of The Day: Harkin – ‘Up To Speed’

Recorded with Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint) and Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak & Bon Iver), Harkin‘s latest single ‘Up To Speed’ is a rolling, atmospheric tune that tries to appreciate the feeling of “going nowhere fast”. The track is lifted from her self-titled debut album, which is set for release on 24th April via Hand Mirror.

“I was a pest” sings Harkin at the beginning of the song, over buoyant riffs and steady beats, exploring the feeling of what it means to be constantly on the move. It’s a feeling Harkin must be intensely familiar with, as in addition to her own bands, she’s been a touring member of bands such as Sleater-Kinney, Wild Beasts, Flock of Dimes, and Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett.

Speaking about ‘Up To Speed’, Harkin explains: “[It’s] a song about going nowhere fast. I’ve been on the move for a long time now and I know it’s been something of a coping mechanism. It’s easier to feel like a tourist somewhere you actually are one. It’s about trying to convert a desire to escape into genuine propulsion rather than just a sprint into the void.”

Listen to ‘Up To Speed’ below, and follow Harkin on Facebook and Spotify for more updates.

Photo Credit: Tomm Roeschlein

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Harkin – ‘Nothing The Night Can’t Change’

Inspired by the chaos and the romanticism of a night out in a UK city, multi-talented musician Harkin has shared her latest single, ‘Nothing the Night Can’t Change’. The track is lifted from her debut self-titled album, which is set for release on 24th April via Hand Mirror.

The new single features Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa, and Bon Iver’s Jenn Wasner. Speaking about her collaborators, Harkin explains: “Jenn and Stella were both old tour friends of mine, but had never met before our recording session together. By the end of day one, they were finishing each other’s jokes. [They] are as good as it gets, and I’m hugely grateful.” Harkin’s talent for collaboration extends even further, as she co-founded the label she’ll be releasing her debut record on (Hand Mirror), with her partner; poet and live arts organiser Kate Leah Hewett.

“What we did by the light of the fridge cannot be undone” sings Harkin mid-way through on ‘Nothing The Night Can’t Change’, prompting a plethora of scandalous images for her listeners. “Anyone that’s been on a night out in Leeds, or any of those places [in the UK] knows all the switches get flipped after dark” Harkin says. She explores these moments over rolling guitar riffs, thudding percussion, and smooth vocals.

Harkin will tour across Europe over the next few months supporting both Sleater-Kinney & Torres. Listen to ‘Nothing The Night Can’t Change’ below, and follow Harkin on Facebook & Spotify.

Photo Credit: Tomm Roeschlein

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment