Iceland's HUGAR Gets Reworked by Polish Composer Hania Rani on 'fall'

XXIM Records releases a stunning new rework of Icelandic band Hugar's track 'fall' by award-winning Polish pianist, composer and singer Hania Rani.

The track 'fall' ("achingly beautiful" - Higher Plain Music) originally appeared on Hugar's 2022 album 'Rift' of which The Irish Times described as "an impressive soundscape of chilly, expansive tones."

Adding original lyrics and beautiful sonic touches, Hania Rani has reworked the piece into a mediative tour-de-force, as she seeks to express a moment of inner falling apart. This exists in unplanned yet perfect symbiosis with the band's original intention behind "Rift", which explores the fertile ground inherent in pulling things apart, the void one creates being a well-spring for new ideas and new beginnings, a life-giving force.

Hania Rani explains: "I chose the song 'fall' because it caught my attention from the very first note. I was enjoying everything about it: from the string sound to the harmonies and the fluid tempo. There was something extremely ephemeral that interested me, and I was inspired to build a melody line on top. I didn't know what Hugar were thinking about when composing 'fall' but I thought it would be interesting to interpret it as an act of falling, rather than as the yearly season. My version is trying to express the moment of falling apart, both as a violent and very personal act of breaking down which is often hard to understand and rarely noticed by others."

Of the track, the band offers: "Hania's interpretation takes the song to another dimension and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. Hania was instrumental in the beginning of our touring career, inviting us on our first tour to Poland, which will always have a special place in our hearts. Takk Hania!"

Listen to the new single here:

Credit: XXIM Records