Hourglvss - 'Calling'
North Wales alt-pop quartet Hourglvss releases new single, ‘Calling’ which is not just a celebration of friendship but also a solidarity anthem for anyone who feels overwhelmed.
Hourglvss are made up of best friends and they are the infectious girl gang listeners will want to be a part of. The band consists of vocalist and keyboardist Katie Benbow and Sophie May Williams, guitarist Rosie Hamilton and drummer Lauren James.
The quartet was formed back when Sophie became a customer of Katie’s vintage clothing website, where the pair instantly hit it off. After the duo attended a Tame Impala concert, the pair began playing music together and covering songs at Katie’s house. Soon after, Rosie and Lauren joined the band. As they say, “It’s a girl gang, people come up to us after our gigs and want to be our friends, we are building a community for everyone.”
The strong female bonds of Hourglvss has meant they can be completely free in their songwriting and production. Vocalist Sophie says, “In the past, I had felt guarded in music, and reluctant to put ideas forward. Now it’s a comforting environment to share our ideas, and not feel stupid. Even if we have an idea and it is shit, we tell each other, but it never feels like an attack”.
With Hourglvss operating out of Benhow’s ‘Vintage Hearts’ clothing warehouse, the quartet have created a safe space for their own unique university with the warehouse complete with pink floors, alien mannequins and heaps of vintage garments. Not only is the band free in their music but also in their artistic direction with fashion playing a huge part, as Katie says, “All our outfits and videos are customised and styled by Vintage Hearts, with Nadia Lee inspired looks.”
Hourglvss create fantasy pop anthems that draw influence from the likes of Wendy and Lisa, Self Esteem, Depeche Mode and Confidence Man. As the project offers somewhere for vulnerability and open discussion, Hourglvss often reflect on their own narratives and how they navigate mental health battles within their music. As the themes of their songs began to naturally change as it became easier for them to speak about what was going on in their brains and their lives as women at this current time.
Hourglvss single, ‘Calling’ is an uplifting slice of alt-pop that takes its cues from the likes of the Cranberries and Cocteau Twins. The single is not just a celebration of friendship and community but a solidarity anthem for anyone that feels overwhelmed, and that life is getting on top of them. This single is to show that “we have been there, and you’re loved.”
Their new single, ‘Calling’ was written when vocalist Katie was going through a bad time. The opening line belts ‘‘her clothes on the floor they really are piling; she keeps adding more’. Which recalls the time Katie was sitting looking at the pile of clothes on her floor during a period of depression where she remembers that the rest of her bandmates called up to check she was okay.
New single ‘Calling’ was written when Katie was going through a bad time. The opening line belts Recalling the time she sat looking at the pile of clothes on her floor during a period of depression, she remembers the rest of her bandmates calling her up to check she was okay. She says that before Hourglvss she never had a group of solid girlfriends. And “This is a love letter to all the girls in the band and to all girls and their friends. I had never found a community where I felt I fit in and where you all care about each other, where you can tell something is up with someone and want to check in.”
Words by Bethany Simms
