Single Review | Hamish Hawk | Money 

Edinburgh-based Hamish Hawk has been steadily growing into a revered singer and songwriter with the release of his 2021 album Heavy Elevator. Now, with three singles under his belt for his upcoming album Angel Numbers, it’s looking likely he can become legendary. 

His latest single, Money, is unique among the three released so far in that it’s a fairly melancholic and bittersweet affair, compared to Angel Numbers and Think Of Us Kissing, it almost seems like he’s playing it fairly straight here. Monumental strings and guitars in the opening seconds of the track hint towards a more grandiose and emotional disposition than we’ve seen in his singles thus far. The instrumental is beautifully complimented by acoustic guitars and subtle piano lines throughout the track. 

The lyrics are notably dour and cynical compared to the earlier two singles, though they still proudly and unapologetically house his trademark wit and poetic prowess. Lines like ‘who buys a jacket from a gunmaker?’ and ‘these Chinese plastics want to tell me something about real life’ perhaps point towards a more misanthropic and bitter outlook on life than we’ve seen from Hawk so far. This is an entirely welcome change however, as Hawk has proved once again that he is an adept lyricist no matter what subject he chooses to tackle. 

His voice soars over the choruses and provides solid ground for the rest of the song to anchor on, but then again, amazing vocal performances are nothing new from Hamish Hawk. Despite these towering vocal and instrumental performances however, there is still a palpable sense of anger and discontent that gives this song a unique and welcome flavour. The money struggles alluded to in the chorus of the song are almost a universal experience in this day and age, which only makes it that much more of a touching listen. Though Hawk couldn’t have put it better himself:

“Who buys a jacket from a gunmaker? That is the question. ‘Money’ is a polemical song, and it’s me at my most cynical. It’s a list of cheap shots and petty grievances I had banging around my head at the time of writing. Small talk, rat races and lengthy weddings all come under fire. It’s really no surprise that it turns out I’m the stick in the mud. What’s more, I’m interminably short on cash.”

If the three songs released for his hotly anticipated album Angel Numbers are anything to go by, Hamish Hawk might have another masterpiece on his hands. Though fans will have to wait until February to see if that’s the case, Money should certainly tide them over until then. 

Listen to the single below.