By: Staff
Hailing from Brazil, the US and Japan, it is understandable that pop singer and songwriter Haikaa understands diversity, both from a human and musical standpoint. Her multi-cultural upbringing has allowed her to develop a strong understanding of the diverse nature of the modern world, as well as brought myriad influences into her songwriting and performance. This unique personal and musical viewpoint is showcased o Haikaa latest album Work of Art, a collection of nine pop songs that go beyond the usual radio pop sounds in both their influence and performance. The result is a well-written record that is both radio-friendly and a breath of fresh air at the same time.
Haikaa’s personalized musical style comes through in songs such “Everything I Know About Love.” Here, hand drums are mixed behind a soft, palm-muted rhythm-guitar part, allowing the vocals to effortlessly float over the harmonic pad as more instruments enter one by one, building towards the powerful chorus. By using hand drums, a variety of timbres in the guitar and, later on, male backing vocals during the chorus, the song is diverse enough to provide the listener with a valuable and interesting experience, while at the same time not straying too far from radio-friendly pop and losing the audience along the way. This track, which is indicative of the rest of the album, brings to light Haikaa’s ability to write pop tunes that sound familiar and unique at the same time, allowing her music to appeal to a broad audience with diverse listening tastes.
Other tracks on the album, such as the up-tempo “Happy,” are toe-tappin’, get a crowd up on the dance floor songs that provide a window into the upbeat side of Haikaa’s artistic output. The song’s harmonic progression is classic radio-pop, but one that goes beyond the normal I-IV-V that define the genre. By going outside the normal harmonic expectations of the listener, Haikaa and her songwriting team are telling the audience that while the song is radio-friendly, they are not going to settle for the easy route, providing for an energetic track with harmony that twists and turns along the way. This vibe can be felt on the acoustic-guitar led track “I’ll Wait.” Here, the artist brings to mind the great acoustic-pop tunes of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. While the acoustic guitar has taken a backseat in the pop world in recent years, being replaced with keyboards and samples, Haikaa reminds listeners why this instrument has been a mainstay of the genre for decades.
While all of these tracks are well-written and creatively arranged, the album’s title track stands out as the record’s biggest highlight. “Work of Art” begins with a single vocal line leading the listener into the medium-tempo pop groove that defines the rest of the song. With multiple guitar parts weaving their way in and out of the mix, as well as many different vocal lines, all sung by Haikaa, coming to the forefront before fading and handing off the melody. These layers of both instruments and vocals add extra textures to the song’s harmony and melody, providing for an ever changing flux of timbres and instrumental combinations that lifts the song to the next level of interest and audience engagement. This is a classic pop track that is not only expertly written and recorded, but also goes a long way in setting the overall tone for the lyrical and musical content of the rest of the album.
Overall, Work of Art is a fun pop record that is filled with positive lyrics and creatively written music. By bringing her diverse background and musical influences to the table, Haikaa has produced an easy to love pop record that is both familiar and fresh at the same time.
