You only have to look at the cover of ‘Romanticism’ to recognise the emotional extremes at the core of Hana Vu’s latest record. In this recreation of the infamously violent Artemisia Gentileschi painting – Judith Beheading Holofernes – Vu interestingly positions herself as the latter, succumbing to the onslaught. Despite this reference to centuries gone by, Vu’s songwriting enables a reinvigoration of her artistic voice and niche within DIY indie-pop production.
‘Romanticism’ is all about confronting some of the most uncomfortable and heart wrenching emotions. It is this confident and unashamed release of rationality that allows this record to stand out in Vu’s exciting catalogue of work. This is much more than a coming-of-age album. In comparison to 2021’s ‘Public Storage’, Vu is noticeably more reflective on this more recent project, and it’s refreshing.
Though the concept of ‘Romanticism’ is based on the theory and aesthetics of its eighteenth-century art movement namesake, Vu contends with the very real circumstances and feelings of a modern Gen-Z existence. In ‘22′ pounding drums and powerful, almost guttural, vocals contrast the youthful innocence of each line. “I’m just getting old, I’m just 22, I just wanna hold on to you,” sings Vu. Lines like this initially sound cliche but their bluntness ultimately convey Vu’s emotional transparency. There’s something incredibly listenable about this adaptation of traditional indie-pop. The melodies and lyrics of tracks like ‘Dreams’ or ‘Alone’ aren’t especially experimental, but they do pack a punch. Then there are exciting moments like ‘Care’, released as a single back in February. It’s hard not to get hooked on the opening melody of this song, with amped up harmonies in the chorus evoking the instrumentation of a boygenius track. There’s a consistently likeable rawness present throughout Vu’s music. She contends with her own naivety and spins it on its head, simultaneously depicting years of accumulated experience as well as emotional confusion. “I’m just a book you threw away” is merely the culmination of these small vignettes of heartbreak.
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Vu is unafraid to portray her own fragility with searing clarity. ‘I Draw a Heart’ encompasses the confessional realism of her songwriting. Instrumentation and harmonies balance out, letting the vocals shine. This clear creative vision is contrasted by moments of fleeting clunkiness. ‘Play’, though interesting when considered as a standalone track, struggles to fit in with the rest of the record. Although ‘Play’ feels like a rogue addition to the album, it still acts as a reflection of Vu’s flexibility, with her voice seamlessly adapting to a more electronic, club-anthem sound. Sandwiched between classic indie-pop ‘Airplane’ and ‘I Draw a Heart’, this intentional moment of genre shift ultimately translates as slightly jarring.
There are lovely, subtler moments throughout ‘Romanticism’. ‘How It Goes’ provides a break from the grunge with a more folk-inspired construction. Meanwhile, ‘Find Me Under the Wilted Trees’ effortlessly manipulates the Tears For Fears classic ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ with a considerably darker “Welcome to your life…” It’s an effortlessly cool introduction to the latter half of the album, blossoming into noughties grunge.
‘Romanticism’ is semi-conclusive, witnessing Vu almost come to peace with the tumultuous nature of her emotions. It’s undeniably relatable, punctuated by decisive chaos and indulgence. ‘Love’ ends the album on a perfect note, summing up its intentions – “Well I guess I can’t hide as much as I want to.” Capturing stolen glances and moments of deep-seated insecurity, ‘Love’ provides a final opportunity for Vu to bare all like never before. An explosion of sound and emotion, bedroom-pop is taken to new levels of angst and ingenuity. Despite depicting herself as the compromised Holofernes, Vu is something more by the end of ‘Romanticism’. In the constant struggle between hiding emotion and indulging in its depths publicly, Vu satisfyingly finds a way to prioritise reflection and release.
7/10
Words: Charlotte Grimwade
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