Austin electronic artist Harry Paradise seems to enjoy a certain anonymity. His social media is nearly nonexistent. His bio on Spotify? One cheeky palm tree emoji. And with an intriguing handful of blissed out singles under his belt, there’s clearly still a lot to learn about Brett Hammann, the artist behind the moniker. But some things are intuitive — his music basks in a summertime glow full of ’80s synths that feels like, well, paradise.
After years of heavy touring, singer and multi-instrumentalist Hammann found himself burnt out in Nashville and in vital need of a creative recharge. One move to Austin later, and the Harry Paradise project was born. Now, Hammann embraces letting things grow at their own pace. After releasing a debut single in 2017, he made some festival appearances and opened for some high-profile acts before deciding to press pause on live performances in 2018. After a couple years focused on writing and reconnecting with his indie rock roots, Hammann is back with a new single and debut EP, One Side of Paradise, set to release later this summer. “Joan,” his debut single, is pure heat wave magic; hushed vocals give way to a crashing wave of soaring synths and giddy euphoria. And new single “Physical Miracle” holds similar promise with a jangly beat and tropical shimmer to match Hammann’s words of desire. The beach might as well be next door.
— Annie Lyons
