King Hannah

Taking influence from ’90s alt rock acts such as Mazzy Star and Portishead, but larger than the sum of their parts, King Hannah’s sparse arrangements of both atmospheric and fuzzy textures, along with minimalist lyrics, contribute to soundscapes that are cinematic in in scope. Formed in Liverpool in 2017, the core duo employed this approach on their debut EP, 2020′s Tell Me Your Mind and I'll Tell You Mine, then stripped things back even further on their 2022 full-length I'm Not Being Sorry, I Was Just Being Me, giving the songs additional room to breathe. They continued to develop their complex, often suspenseful sound on 2024′s Big Swimmer, featuring Sharon Van Etten on the title track. A full two years before establishing King Hannah, multi-instrumentalist Craig Whittle saw Welsh-born Hannah Merrick singing for another band at a university showcase event in Liverpool. He was impressed by her brooding, moody vocal style and made a mental note. By chance, the two began working at the same bar in 2017. They created King Hannah during pre-shift work rehearsals, with both Merrick and Whittle slowly building up the confidence to perform in front of each other. While both played guitar, Merrick took on lead vocals, with Whittle taking responsibility for their musical arrangements. In May 2019, the duo self-released a single, “Crème Brûlée,” which caught the attention of Krista Schimdt at City Slang Records. She asked to hear more material, and by September 2020, they were signed to the label, which reissued “Crème Brûlée.” The following month, the single “Meal Deal” appeared, with both tracks ultimately forming part of the Tell Me Your Mind and I'll Tell You Mine EP, released that November. Producer Ted White added synths and additional guitars alongside a rhythm section comprising Oliver Gorman (bass) and Jake Lipiec (drums). A strong cover of “State Trooper” — more than matching the tension conveyed in Bruce Springsteen’s original recording — appeared in March 2021 as a stopgap release. In September 2021, King Hannah issued “A Well-Made Woman” just prior to embarking on their first-ever U.K. tour, expanding to the same quintet that recorded their EP. Further singles “All Being Fine” and “Big Big Baby” were released in the run-up to February 2022′s I'm Not Being Sorry, I Was Just Being Me. To promote this debut album, the band subsequently embarked on a comprehensive tour of Europe and the U.S. that provided much of the inspiration for the songs on their next LP. Hoping to capture the energy of live shows, they enlisted Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding) to produce the follow-up in a one-room studio lined with stacks of guitar amps. Another stopgap cover, this time a spooky take on Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,” appeared in May 2023. Featuring Sharon Van Etten on the title track, which doubled as the lead single in early 2024, Big Swimmer saw release in May of that year. ~ James Wilkinson & Marcy Donelson