A couple of years ago, some of you helped me discover and purchase floor-standing speakers and I have been constantly discovering new (and rediscovering old) music since I pulled the trigger. First of all, I want to say thank you to all of you that not only contributed to that thread, but also help answer A/V questions here on a regular basis. I'm extremely grateful.

So a couple years ago I was watching a video about speakers, when I was shopping for my Martin Logans, and I stumbled on a guy talking about soundstage, separation, instrument detail, etc. You know, the kind of stuff all those guys always talk about. He mentioned the song We Are by Haevn, and about how you needed a decent set of speakers to really keep all of the instruments separate when you're listening to it. I tucked the link away and promptly forgot about the song/suggestion.

Fast forward to a few months ago and I queued up the song on a quiet night at home. The rest of my family was away for something, and I had clerical things to do for work. Expense reports, PO approvals, whatever. The house was empty and bereft of noise, save for the keyboard on my notebook and the crunch of the candied almonds I wasn't supposed to be eating.

Enter this song.



I stopped, cocked my head to the side and uttered out loud, "Wait what," and then I actually closed my notebook and sat back to listen. I'm sure the YouTube version probably doesn't do the same justice to the song that hi-resolution Tidal version did at that time I first really heard the song.

Now, I completely understand that music hits us all differently depending on the mood we're in, how we're feeling, events that surround us at the time we hear it. Sometimes things in our lives align like the planets and a song will slap us in the face like a pie made of memories, emotion, and nostalgia. Other times we shrug and say, "That's nice," and click next. For some reason, that night, the celestial bodies were in harmony for me, and I ended up grabbing a class of bourbon to sit and listen to the entire album.

It's great!

It's musical, inventive, and somewhat haunting. Haevn has a sound presence that reminds me of an even more refined and contemporary A-Ha. If you've heard more than "Take On Me", you'll have an idea of what I mean.

I highly recommend both of their albums, and even some of their EPs. Good stuff. Some selections:









I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

What are some bands / albums you've discovered in recent years?