Hoko Heathen

Making their mark early for a fusion of sounds and genres, New York band HOKO now present their first fully realised collection of material, announcing their debut project, HEATHEN.

Inspired by a diverse range of experiences lived and sonic influences loved, the band has brought it all together in fleshing out eight tracks that represent their artistry in vivid colour. From it, fans have already gotten a taste of Heathen in 2020's 'Candy Eyes', 'Hellogoodbye', 'Honest' and 'OK OK'. Today, a new dose of energy from it drops in HOKO's new single, 'Big Mistake'.

Working with Grammy nominated producer John Hill (Santigold, Cage The Elephant) and Andrew Wells (Halsey, Kaiser Chiefs), the sounds HOKO have realised on record are driven by a clear talent and grasp on indie and pop sensibilities. Lead vocalist and songwriter Nathaniel Hoho can be hypnotic in one breath, uplifting and boisterous in the next.

When it comes to 'Big Mistake' is centred on past relationships of Nathaniel's, yes, but doesn't hold himself above criticism.

"I feel like most songs come to you and write themselves through you, but I'm pretty sure 'Big Mistake' is a song about some of my exes. It's a pop song with sitars and yoyos weaved through it; it's a perfect example of the line we wanted to walk for HOKO. Exploring pop but keeping it unique and a little cynical. For the record, I have no hard feelings towards any of my exes who may read this; everyone is someone's Big Mistake, I know I am!" Nathaniel Hoho, HOKO

The last few years have been hectic for the group. Since their debut in 2020, the band has already seen a bunch of changes take effect. The music has been pulled from experiences lived right around the world, before the recording of HEATHEN saw the band working between New York and LA. 

"HEATHEN is the first half of a project we've spent almost two years conceptualising. Our aim was to create a body of work that sounded big, but was also sonically interesting, with songs that are accessible, but also have layers and complexity. All of my favourite albums give me something new every time I hear them, so that's always something in the back of mind when finishing a song. Visually we wanted to pay homage to the artistic direction of artists like David Bowie & Queen who created beautiful images that stand on their own as art, not only as an accompaniment to the music." Nathaniel Hoho, HOKO

The breakthrough of HOKO in the international market has seen the band enjoy strong streaming success, with over 9 million streams to date across all platforms, with their visuals drawing over 1 million views on YouTube. The band was exposed to more listeners courtesy of EA Sports syncing 'Hellogoodbye' to NHL 21 and adding it to its official soundtrack, while 'OK OK' and 'This Is Gonna Be Our Year' have also been enjoying airplay through ESPN and NFL Networks in the United States.

The sounds of HEATHEN are electrifying and stand strong to HOKO's love for exploring new sounds and continuously pushing themselves as creatives. Adaptable and conscientious, the band has been able to work in a number of different creative environments ultimately forming a strong artistry all their own.