Hazlett - “Hesitate” (feat. OSKA)
Photo: Olof Grind
Hazlett is certainly no stranger to our blog. His indie folk offerings never fail to satisfy our ears and they often have the ability to bring all of our emotions to the surface of everything. With his new album, Bloom Mountain, having just been released, one might wonder what more he could offer this world, but the answer is quite simple: he brought a friend!
When first pressing play on “Hesitate,” the listener will be greeted with that old, familiar Hazlett– the soothing acoustic guitar and those ethereal vocals that remind us of dusty roads, summer nights, and falling in and out of love. His upper register really shines with this one, especially when he starts the refrain: “Hey, I only wanna know if I should move out or stay…” And after this, we are greeted with our surprise guest, OSKA, whose gentle vocal counters Hazlett’s previous verse. And when their voices meet for the second chorus, it is simultaneously amazing and heartbreaking as we are forced to hear how well they harmonize while also believing every single word they sing about a doomed relationship. And we’ve talked about this on the blog before: a successful duet should lead the listener to believe that the track has been recorded in the same room, with the vocalists facing each other as they sing into the same microphone. And here, not only do we get that, but we are also rewarded with the sincerity of their voices. It is truly divine.
And the gifts do not end there– he’s also brought us a video:
“Hesitate” is available everywhere– and while you’re at it, you might as well listen to the entire LP because Bloom Mountain is filled to its tippy top with cinematic awesomeness.
-TM