Scottish duo HYYTS may be relatively new to the music scene but already their musical sound is well defined, and their music is unlike anything else available.
Whilst infusing sounds of the 80s and taking a synth heavy approach with a space age feel, their lyrics pursue both optimism and existentialism.
Their most recent single ‘Bad Tattoo’ follows the developing futuristic pop sounds of their previous singles ‘SOS’ and ‘Lonely People’ and is a humorous nod to the duo’s own tattoos that are emblematic of their own lives and discography to date.
Opening with gentle symphonic sounds and chordal piano ‘Bad Tattoo’ has a silky texture and an effortless sound that is the perfect foundation for frontman Adam Hunter’s thick Scottish vocals and his excellently crafted lyrics.
Using the analogy of a ‘Bad Tattoo,’ the chorus is brutally honest as the line ‘The scars you left upon my skin are proof I let the wrong one in but they make me proud’ present a jarring contrast to the futuristic indie-pop sound but simultaneously lean towards optimism and focus on themes of resilience.
Both HYYTS’ music and visuals are composed through stark contrasts, nice sounds with alarming images, manic production with gentle lyrics.
In the ‘Bad Tattoo’ video it is the bowling alley set lighting – almost as if it has been pulled directly from a Sci-Fi film – and the bare cinema screening room, which is something very familiar to most yet warped by its emptiness, that presents opposing imagery.
Ultimately HYYTS have fashioned a song that is otherworldly and yet remains grounded in our own personal experiences and individual battles.
‘Bad Tattoo’ is another success from the HYYTS boys and as always will help you dance through any existential crisis you might be experiencing.
