Brighton’s MY-HI reject societal pressures in new alt-rock anthem ‘Phaser’
Formed in 2017, MY-HI have six successful singles under their belt which have seen them supported by the likes of BBC Introducing, BBC Radio One, Amazing Radio and Soundsphere Magazine as well as play alongside bands such as Kid Kapichi, Tigercub and securing slots at festivals all over the UK.
With their latest single Phaser, they approached recording in a whole new way. Recorded at Brighton Electric Studios with Alex Gordon (The Cure, Blood Red Shoes, The Xcerts), the track started life as a live session. The guitars were then re-amped through various amps and pedal boards to create the gritty sound they were aiming for.
The song lyrically explores the concept of societal pressures; The constant pressure to perform, stand out amongst the crowd and to be the best version of ourselves.
Discussing the meaning behind the song, lyricist and vocalist Daniel Veal states: “In a landscape strewn with endless financial hurdles, vainglorious boasters and vague, unattainable cliches, it’s easy to get lost in it all. To compare. To lose yourself and your ambition. The lyrics are lightly seasoned with self acceptance, a pinch of urgency and a healthy splodge of diving headfirst into the unknown, unapologetically. It’s important not to lose sight of your aims and to ride the maddening wave through the peaks and troughs of life! Even when you aren’t quite sure of where the hell it’s taking you. I’ve always pictured our brains as this phaser machine. A machine that can manipulate itself to adapt to whatever situation we find ourselves in, even when we are partially unsure of who we are at times. I suppose the song is a low key identity crisis, but from an angle of ‘it’s normal to be completely alienated from your own self’. You’re a phaser, yes you are!”