Shortly after forming, the members of the New York-via-North Carolina indie rock band Hiding Places noticed a secret power. During their live sets, no matter the loudness, scuzziness, or mayhem of the venues they played, their tender, atmospheric sound became the focus of the room, quieting their surroundings as audiences became hypnotized by their steady, rhythmic interplay and bittersweet vocal melodies. From these experiences, the band developed a credo of close listening. If one member plays too fast, they won’t try to nudge the tempo down; if someone’s volume rises above the rest, they adjust their level accordingly. The goal, always, is togetherness—to maintain a unified whole, always in sync. This philosophy is part of what makes the quartet’s cozily intricate and hard-hitting Keeled Scales debut, The Secret to Good Living, feel like a bold introduction as much as a well-worn mixtape, passed down from a trusted friend. The band’s debut album is set to be released on April 3.
Hiding Places is gearing up to release their latest LP, but before delivering the full meal, they’re releasing “Waiting,” a mesmerizing appetizer. The unassuming yet potent, shoegaze-tinted outing is a proper introduction to the nuanced fusion work of this terrific rock outfit. The five-minute tune takes you on an emotionally palpable, winding journey driven by a familiar longing and otherworldly yet relatable songwriting. The lyrics of “Waiting” paint a vibrant portrait of dissociation, while the loose guitars evoke the listlessness that accompanies this numbing emotion. The band can turn the pain of feeling lost into a slow-burning ballad, as if Hiding Places needed to employ this abstract approach to poetry to reverse-engineer how they ended up in this mindset. It has been a long road to this band’s debut, and the latest single is making it worth every second of the wait. “Waiting” is an empathetic preview of an album that is set to bring Hiding Places to new ears and places, so join in as we all anxiously await the release of The Secret to Good Living.
