"Angels" is the sound of halation from rising polymath Hamond

Hamond has drifted around the peripheries of electronic indie-pop for a while now, first culminating with the release of his debut project Source Material in 2020. Whether it’s the unexpected sample of Craig David and Artful Dodger’s “Re-Rewind” in “Hotel Zaza” or the reductive nature of his lo-fi R&B, he dabbles in a sonic palette that extends beyond the borders of his hometown, Houston, while grappling with an unironic fascination for their moods and hooks.

Growing up, Hamond cultivated his ear for music as a multi-instrumentalist. “I started playing piano when I was pretty young, then from there I picked up a lot of instruments,” he tells Best Fit. “I used to try to put everything together on my parent’s PC computer with a beginner Cubase program. That’s kind of when I realised, I wanted to start singing, but I kept that under wraps until later in high school.”

As polyglottery reigns over the industry, it’s clear that Hamond has found his place in it. A multi-hyphenate in all senses, he also extends into the role of producer across his discography, often alongside his right-hand co-producer teej; who is also present on Hamond’s first single via Pigeon & Planes imprint No Matter, “Angels”.

Born out of a strings score that the two sent back and forth, Hamond sways through cinematic arrangements and elements of neo-soul. It “sounded like a John Williams score or something you’d hear in the Romeo and Juliet movie with Leonardo DiCaprio,” he elaborates. “There were a few seconds that really caught me, so I chopped it up and we put the rest of the pieces together. The feeling those two chords and the strings captured just felt warm and almost triumphant.”

“It’s about being watched over and protected by people around you, even when things are not perfect,” Hamond continues. “It’s what everything is really about, in the end. You could have everything in the world, but it doesn’t matter unless you’re surrounded by good people. It’s being thankful for that - knowing that on the worst days, you have someone or some people that have your back.”

While you might find him centre frame, it’s the wandering dichotomy that is Hamond’s charm. In this spirit, “Angels” teases the first taste of an upcoming project as he mellows his focus to convey themes of vulnerability with warming instrumentals and heartfelt lyrics.