Track of the Day: HAVVK - 'Daylight Robbery'

Warped guitar fuzz and a pounding drum beat are the riotous foundations of Julie Hawk's ethereal, raw vocals on new single 'Daylight Robbery'.

The ever-evolving alt-rockers HAVVK are back with a grittier sound than ever on their explosive new single, out today via VETA Records.

"They say daylight robbery is good for business / Nothing stands between us and the perfect witness," Julie chants on the bridge. The fast-paced track builds to a mighty crescendo, simultaneously bleeding catharsis and claustrophobia.

‘Daylight Robbery’ explores the expectations we face after exiting the comfort of our homes and how those societal expectations infringe on our feelings of safety — especially for women and gender non-conforming people. Frontperson Julie Hawk challenges the norms around women’s appearance in particular: “But we are creatures / That you tore from pictures.”

Backed by Matthew Harris’ fervent guitar and thundering drums courtesy of Nigel Kenny - previously a member of Bitch Falcon - the track implores the listener to defy convention.

“‘Daylight Robbery’ is about the safe spaces we create for ourselves, and the exhaustion of feeling scrutinised outside of these boundaries," HAVVK explain of the origins. "To us, community is so central to self-expression, but we’re living in a reality where communities and culture are becoming outpriced and fragmented, and where people’s identities and bodies are becoming more politicized and up for debate. What does this mean for us when we leave the house, what does it mean to trust your neighbour?

"There is something sacred about having four walls or even an online space in which you feel like home - where you feel like yourself. ‘Daylight Robbery’ is about the stress and anxiety of seeing these spaces invaded, even spaces that you call your own, and even the temptation to retreat into yourself or to tone yourself down in response.”

Julie Hawk, 2021.

Since moving back to Ireland after fostering music communities in Berlin and London, the punchy three-piece have discovered a new, unabashed confidence. Their 2021 album Levelling was a shoegaze masterpiece, expertly crafted and produced with care

Renowned for their riotous stage presence, HAVVK have toured extensively throughout the UK, Ireland and Germany, including their "Drawn Together" project, a 12-date UK tour which saw them team up with over 50 female and non-binary artists including Menstrual Cramps, Medicine Cabinet and Scrounge, in 2019 to promote equality in music.

Now, the trio have landed on their feet in Dublin and brought the international music community of the VETA Collective to Irish shores after supporting And So I Watch You From Afar and The Drums. With a growing network of fans and collaborators (including Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra, in which Hawk plays bass), the band are ready to make more noise.