It’s Friday the 13th, right before Valentine’s Day. There’s an opportunity here to embark on some quirky and witty lyrical explorations. Hana Piranha knows it well, timing their latest release rather perfectly. ‘Valentine’ is exactly what you would expect from the Brighton-based project, a rock-leaning dive into playful spookiness and gloomy imagery with a keen romantic undertone. Taken from the group’s forthcoming EP ‘Heart of Darkness’, ‘Valentine’ fits into a wider thematic endeavour, one focused on attraction, desire, and the pains that come with them.
It’s quite a triumphant return for Hana Pinanha. Their first original release since the 2023 album ‘Wingspan’, the British outfit hasn’t lost its shiny and eerie anthemic charge, a blend of dramatic alt-rock distortions and dark cinematic textures that makes for a gripping, intense listening experience. ‘Valentine’ follows suit, offering perhaps a slightly more tender and lyrically-driven take on the project’s ever-expanding artistic universe. Of course, melancholia and sombre character are always there, only this time paired with a more flirtatious elegance, especially carried by Hana’s brooding, dynamic vocals.
Delving deeper into the song, the group explain: “Channelling the predatory tension of Dickens and the moral ambiguity of Graham Greene, ‘Valentine’ narrates a story of attraction that drags you under despite every red flag warning, presenting a world where romance and ruin circle each other in a hypnotic dance.” It’s a song about the blind spot of attraction, when desire is so strong and catchy to dwarf even the most mildly reasonable thought. We suspect listeners will relate to it, just as we did.
Recommended! Discover ‘Valentine’ now: