Premiere: Hayden Calnin shares new video for Mountain Steeps, teases new EP

Header image by Al Parkinson.

Over the last twelve months, Hayden Calnin has kept busy. The Victorian musician entered 2020 off the back of a freshly-minted new EP that showcased how far he's come over his decade-spanning career, with A Life You Would Choose being a collection of tracks encapsulating a triumphant year of songwriting for the brilliant storyteller. He didn't spend much time lazing around following that either, collaborating with Harrison Storm on the enchanting Unfortunate Love earlier this year, before sharing We Can Take Our Time what felt like just moments ago.

Both of these latter tracks are ones that really capture Calnin at a new peak, showing how the musician has consistently honed in on and refined his songwriting abilities at a time where there are so many complexities in the world to write about. They're also both tracks from the musician's forthcoming new EP Soon Forever, out via Nettwerk on September 4th. It's an EP that's sure to show how Calnin has continued to evolve in even the short amount of time since his A Life You Would Choose EP just a year ago; a collection of tracks that'll wrap your arms around you and keep you warm and comfortable in a time where it's needed most.

Nothing quite says that better, however, than the EP's third taste in Mountain Steeps. Sonically, it's a masterclass in this dreamy, subtle ballad format that's layered with harmonies galore; each piece of the track's multi-faceted structure moving together at a pace that feels comfortable with its familiarities, like a hug from a family member or a chance to revisit something close to you from a long time ago. There's nothing more to say about it than it's just brilliant, with Hayden Calnin delivering a ballad that's sure to keep you at bay while the world continues to throw everything it can at you.

"Mountain Steeps was recorded in my home studio on the Mornington Peninsula, Australia," he says on the single. "I was having a lot of dreams that felt quite real (until I woke up) and that really played a huge role in how I engineered the song. I wanted it to feel other worldly, which is why I included a lot of digitally processed backing vocals and a vocoder-esc treatment laying underneath it all. When all those layers sat under the main vocal, it really played a huge part in directing where the song was going to go from that point.

"Isolation from your usual environment can sometimes make your life feel like you are living in a dream. I take myself on a walk or run almost every day. It’s my time to reflect on all the things happening in my life and the world over. Mountain Steeps captures a couple of those thoughts I often find myself coming back to on those outings. Lots of self-reflection."

The video clip for Mountain Steeps - premiering on Pilerats today - doubles down on that link to isolation, with Calnin directing and editing the video himself while isolating at his home. "Since lockdowns have been in place here in Australia, I’ve been keeping outdoor activities close to home. I live in a pretty special place and I wanted to capture something that felt like a little adventure and piece of my daily life."

Get swept up in Mountain Steeps' waves of warmth below:

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