Haiden Henderson's World Falls Apart as He Builds a New Sound in 'tension'
Dubbing tension as “the most honest music I’ve ever made,” Haiden Henderson is stripped bare on this knife-edge eight-track project.
An erotic push and pull, two magnets repelling, resisting their desire to touch—this gravitational friction drives every single track on this project. tension is an encapsulation of that very temptation, longing for something far too scorching to touch.
Opening single “one track mind” is perfectly dirty pop, a raunchy single way too easy to get absolutely lost in. Alongside “sweat,” there’s a very vivacious tone threaded through this EP, begging to be blasted in a sweaty room full of hot strangers.
“lips” soundtracks a pheromone-driven hookup, while “AA” is an uptempo thrill ride through harmless obsession driven by an infectious garage-inspired beat, arriving as the rising star's most daring departure to date. It’s clear Henderson has given himself permission to be brashly young and uninhibited, as blindly confident as you can only be in your early 20s. There’s linear growth since his 2021 debut, most notably seen on the project’s title track. “Best friend to a lover to a ghost,” it’s a plea for validation, a longing to know you weren’t the only one who survived, or even deserved, the fiery crash.
Speaking to the throbbing atmosphere of the EP, Henderson shares, “The songs on this EP pair guitars with vintage drum sounds usually heard in classic club songs. Every colorful lyric is dangerously true. Every sound is intentional. It’s diverse but cohesive. tension is about falling for the wrong person and my world falling apart as a result.”
Gearing up for his global headlining tour, one can only imagine the new life a project this palpable will take on when experienced live.
Listen to tension below:
