The Western Den - 'Hem'

Boston based duo The Western Den release their hauntingly beautiful single ‘Hem’, a song that attests to individuality and compatibility, and the difficulty of both coexisting harmoniously.

I’m a sucker for a male-female duo whose sound is built on a folky foundation and The Western Den not only meet, but exceed all of my expectations. Firstly, it’s impressive how their vocals stand alone so strongly that they are able to share which one of them takes the lead vocal on a track by track basis which makes it exciting for their fans, not knowing which direction they will go next. Deni Hlavinka and Chris West’s voices also compliment each other wonderfully when they harmonise.

Secondly, the band have the perfect folk-infused emotion to their vocals, but their sound is so much more than an acoustic, earthy sound. Think The Civil Wars in a more cinematic, orchestral, package. While all their songs pack an emotional punch, for me the song in The Western Den’s back catalogue most prone to give you misty eyes (i’m not crying, you are!) is the immensely popular, ‘I Still Remain’; a touching affair between affecting arrangements, atmospheric vocals and honest lyricism. I’ve listened to ‘I Still Remain’ approximately 50857374 times and on each listen I fall in love with the song all over again like I’m hearing it for the first time.

Current single, ‘Hem’ has more of a fluid feel to its arrangements like its predecessor ‘Spark, Set Fire’ , not initially weighed down with the emotion in its production that we see in ‘I Still Remain’. That is, until the chorus comes in with its magnificent arrangements and stunning vocal harmonies, seeing the track glisten with a warming, wintery feel. When the horn section comes in later on in the track, there’s a new sense of hope and jubilance that contradicts the real and raw emotion in the vocals and the lyrics which are tinged with a sadness. A solemn yet charming listen that swells with a tenderly crafted urgency.

Words of Karla Harris