This Is The Freeze That Freezes Anti-Freeze

HiFi Sean and David McAlmont's long-awaited first full-length album, Happy Ending, is out on 23rd September. How have I not mentioned this already?! Whilst I'm reasonably good at track of what I have posted, partly to avoid inadvertently repeating and partly to ensure that I eventually get around to posting the other side of a mixtape that I teased would be "coming soon" an eternity ago, I often forget what I haven't posted.

This is a great example. The first* teaser from the album, The Skin I'm In, came out in April and I should have been all over it and there's a deceptively simple but extremely compelling video of the song. It's essentially a split-screen monochrome head shot of David McAlmont and HiFi Sean for four minutes though it transpires that is really all you need.

Maybe was released in July and has an accompanying hand-drawn animated video by Indonesian illustrator, graphic designer and stop motion animator Galih Panji. Both YouTube postings include the full lyrics which illustrate that the breadth and depth of McAlmont's writing is more than equal to his voice, which only becomes even more beautiful with the passage of time. The press release for The Skin I'm In describes a lyrical comment on "the on going social injustices faced by the black community in today’s world" whilst Maybe is simply "A story that any one can fall in love". If the remaining 11 songs on Happy Ending are only a fraction as good as these two songs, then it will be another album highlight of 2022 in what has already proved to be a bloody good year.

 

Those lovely people at Last Night From Glasgow are offering double vinyl editions of Happy Ending in sleek, traditional black as well as yellow, white and clear variants. You can also purchase digital copies of the two singles* from HiFi Sean's Plastique Recordings shop (and the return of Bandcamp Friday tomorrow may be an added incentive to buy). I've not had the readies available to buy new vinyl for many years so I'm holding out for the CD or digital release, which HiFi Sean has tweeted will be forthcoming, date tbc.

 

In other tweets, HiFi Sean has also revealed that he and David have been working on album #2 and that a tour on the back of Happy Ending is a possibility. Given that McAlmont & Butler was one of the first gigs that Mrs. K and I went to and she rates HiFi Sean's Album Ft. highly, then this might be a win-win if there's a gig near us and (fingers crossed) at the weekend. 

 

In the meantime, these two songs will do very, very well, thank you very much.

* 2020 single, Bunker To Bunker, credited to 'McHiFi' will also feature on Happy Ending and is also available on Bandcamp.