York band The Howl & The Hum return with the dystopian “Human Contact”

In an age defined and driven forward by the internet, incessant technological advances and moral disputes regarding AI, The Howl & The Hum have gripped the modern age by its complex wires and torn them straight out of their roots. Although “Human Contact” certainly has an air of fiction in its powerfully cinematic foundation as well as fitting seamlessly alongside the rest of their cautionary tales, with that comes the unsettling niggle that it confronts: reality.

Fanatical frontman Sam Griffiths cites the song’s influence as exploring “alienation vs technology,” while questioning whether living in such a digital age means we’re truly able to make proper “connections” and communication. Taking inspiration from Black Mirror, Godard’s Alphaville, 1984 and LCD Soundsystem, the band continue to effortlessly fuse together their own frustrations and anxieties in atmospheric, musical fashion as we continue to nosedive into the Anthropocene.

Alluring and bold, “Human Contact” is exactly where the band should be in their journey through Scottish Highlands, murderous tendencies, Fiat Puntos, bridges and storms.