Girls in Hawaii
Nocturne

Girls in Hawaii – Nocturne

“I am lost

Again

Tonight

Lying Down

There on the ground

Dreaming to You

That you’re back

Open the door”

from “Cyclo”

A grainy image, a journey on a warm summer night. All the doubts, uncertainties, and memories, faithful travel companions, are by our side, keeping us company and frightening us at the same time.

Like snapshots from a nocturnal journey, the various tracks of this album follow one another. Some hurt, others are soft pillows on which to rest a face wet with tears, and still others are blades full of rage. This album moves fast, as life goes fast. And despite everyone trying to manage somehow, no one can escape human destiny and avoid seeing everything that seemed like an eternal present just a minute ago slipping away behind them. C’est la vie (indeed).

“The light” is a powerful and imaginative opening, which rests on acoustic guitars and piano, blending to create a powerful and melancholic atmosphere. The piano “riff” is obsessive, and the hypnotic repetition of “Keep your distance from this light” somehow recalls the obsessive-compulsive tensions that our minds can create when they malfunction. “Guinea Pigs” moves the album/journey forward with a light beat that delivers us to a dreamlike dimension of half-sleep, between present and past. It speaks of lost innocence, of the zest for life that, with its twists, leads you to lose. “Blue Shape” is a sad and moving interlude on how our minds sometimes create parallel worlds that are both a safe haven and a pure illusion that risks collapsing on us at any moment.

Although the overall atmosphere of the work is mostly melancholic, there are also a couple of slightly more rock and rhythmic pieces like “Overrated” and “Walk,” the latter a true and only glimpse of pure joy and positivity in an album where darkness is its main note of color.

The masterpieces of the entire set are, in my opinion, “Cyclo” and “Willow Grove.” Two songs that gather the entire essence of the melancholic and painful inner journey that this album represents and reconcile us with everything that has been and at the same time prepare us for everything that is yet to come.

And after several listens, you notice that the images gradually become clearer. We have accepted being human, having fears, and that the world is anything but safe. All with the support of music and a bit of introspection. We arm ourselves with courage and move forward. And I believe that the Girls in Hawaii have also armed themselves with courage, laying bare precious emotions and opting for a sound that, with the addition of electronics, reaches a new maturity. Isn’t it ultimately courage that leads us to overcome our limits?