Hang Ten - “Pure Vacation”

Back in January, when the gentlemen of Hang Ten emailed us about a new song, we were completely devastated… because, you see, the rest of the world would have to wait until today to hear it. The guilt was almost unbearable. For over a month, we were able to listen to “Pure Vacation” at our leisure, while everyone else had to sit around and listen to the songs of yore. But the day is here! “Pure Vacation” is yours! (But it’s still more ours because we had it first.)

Hang Ten was one of the first bands that we found while simply scrolling through Instagram. Their song, “Balloon,” is still one of our most favorite accidental discoveries of all time; and the followup, “Slow Down,” remains in heavy, daily rotation– both are perfect for long drives, especially in the midwest, where the music of Hang Ten has the rare ability of making gray skies feel like June or July. It appears that these guys can do no wrong, and “Pure Vacation” is another fantastic example of this.

If you’ve heard “Balloon” and “Slow Down,” you’ll know that this band is quite capable of laying down the smooth and gentle grooves with vibe for days, so pressing play on this new one means hearing those first hints of guitar and knowing instantly that you’re in for some of that same, kickass sensation. And though this one might have just a slightly higher bpm, it still manages to feature all of that tasty, moody vibe for which we have come to know and love them.

In our interview with them, we learned that they spend most of their time in the recording studio, so it is of no surprise to hear every element in the exact place it should be to ensure maximum listening pleasure– and although everything inside “Pure Vacation” is simply delicious, be sure to save some room for that smooth, melodic bass line and a drum tone that, at times, oozes with a hint of “Strawberry Fields.” We have no doubt that you will be la la la loving “Pure Vacation” before you’ve even made it to the fadeout.

-TM