Location Unknown is the subject of today’s blog, put together by all-caps British duo HONNE with Georgia providing the vocals.
HONNE consist of James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck and started collaborating just days into university. The name comes from the Japanese word for “true feelings” and they have a truly unique sound, fusing electronic and synth sounds with soul that amalgamates to create a delicate blend of music that is perfect for those intimate nocturnal moments. Location Unknown was originally released as a single ahead of the duo’s sophomore album Love Me/Love Me Not in August 2018.
It is synth heavy and has an ethereal feel to it, especially with Georgia’s wispy, haunting voice. The start of the song makes me think of a forest carpeted in fog at twilight, though it transforms into more of an understated dance track. It’s a very emotive song, as I can imagine a contemporary dance routine done to this track, which is amplified by the male and female voices
The duality of the song is not restricted to 4 minutes and 50 seconds within the album though. The whole album explores the highs and lows of life, with half the songs focusing on the positives and the other half focusing on the negatives. The album title, Love Me/Love Me Not reflects this and each song is stylised with a circle, half white half black, at the end of the title. Location Unknown is on the melancholic half, despite the tempo being quite high. This could be raw emotion and passion for the lost person the lyrics talk about driving the speed of the song along.
Whatever their creative decisions, it’s a well thought out, beautifully modern project that draws inspiration from some of the greats of yesteryear, such as Michael Jackson, Al Green and Quincy Jones. HONNE are rising stars and show that modern British soul music is thriving.
Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex
A Song A Day 