On their debut single “Celestial,” HAVER, the emerging alt-rock four-piece from Stirling, Scotland, offer up a sound that is both new and familiar, resonating with the atmospheric sweep of early Coldplay but expressed through the emotional depth of Keane, while embodying its own radiant identity. The guitars, the soaring, passionate vocals on the slow burn of an album opener, and the way it kicks into two emotionally overpowering choruses would make it a breathtaking first single.
There is a rare emotional honesty here, a feeling that HAVER is reaching for something truly transcendent and achieving it. Its production is expansive without compromising intimacy, each note feels like a stone in your hand, set to elevate you just a bit. Little wonder, then, that Scottish music legend Billy Sloan (BBC Radio Scotland) described it as “one of my favorite singles of the last year” in a statement that already sounds prophetic but again serves to highlight exactly what the band has achieved.
Having sold out at SWG3 and previously turned heads from the likes of King Tuts, HAVER are clearly taking their time in their stride. “Celestial” does more than announce their arrival, it’s the sound of a band ready to extend far beyond its Stirling base. But with melodies that soar and lyrics you feel like wistful half-remembered memories, HAVER’s debut feels more like the beginning of something much larger, a new band from Scotland standing at the foot of a stage waiting to meet the world.
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Stream Celestial here