‘IDK’ How We Ever Lived Without Van Houten’s New Single

Leeds-based Van Houten released their new single ‘IDK’ and, frankly, I don’t know why I ever thought my dreamy indie summer playlist would be complete without this song. Dealing with themes of confusion and rumination about who you are, and where you fit in in this world, this song perfectly sums up what every person has felt at one point or another. In fact, this song hit me surprisingly hard. 

I mean hello?

“Can’t figure out what kind of life I should lead/Can’t figure out what kind of person to be”.

Talk about relatable.

You might think that a song that hits so close to home with these feelings of discomfort may not be a good listen, especially since so many of us are struggling to find a sense of self in a year that made us see there is a lot more at play than our own decision making. But that is not at all the case. ‘IDK’ is a dreamy and relaxed song, owing to warped guitar and light drums, not to mention vocals that both blend with and stand out from the instrumental.

The band (ironically, I hope) terms what they do as ‘slacker pop with a cherry on top’. However, while I think this definitely points to the band’s down-to-earth attitude and sense of humour, I’d call this song anything but lazy. When you get down to it, the instruments are played well and the vocals are smooth and blend well with the song, the lyrics are relatable and the production really makes the song pop. And to think it was all recorded and produced in a bedroom. Honestly, I think bands like Van Houten are the future of indie music. They are showing that you can make good music from anywhere, in any circumstances.

So go get yourself a beat-up car, drive around and think about your own existence to this oh-so-relatable soundtrack to our lives.

Chloe Boehm

@chlojo98

Image: Official Single Cover