“I try catching his eye / But he doesn’t leer at me / Not the way that you do,” implore The High Plains Drifters in the fever pitch of their new single “He Reminds Me of You,” and while the beats that are backing up this verse do a lot to drive its underlying sentiments home, there’s no doubt that it wouldn’t be quite as profound a lyric without the adrenaline in the voice behind the mic. “He Reminds Me of You” is equal parts fun pop and controlled, rock-influenced poetry delivered with an electrified groove, but if you’re as intrigued by contemporary hybridity as I am, I think you’re going to appreciate it for the masterful document it is.
There’s a sexual tinge to the vocal deliveries here as we push forward in the track, but at no point do The High Plains Drifters rely on blunt lust alone in structuring the catharsis on the other side of their words (aside from the steamy music video, that is). The percussive componentry does enough to solidify the mood of the music without having to get too over the top in terms of aesthetical theatrics, and for the most part, I think it’s clear that this piece was originally designed to magnify their disciplined approach to the melodies as much as it is the substance of the narrative.
Seductive harmonies, visuals, and lyrical implications aside, these beats are some of the most addictive I’ve come across from an indie source in a long time. The rhythm is made to do so much more than colorize the words; it’s setting up the entire climax long before The High Plains Drifters ever touch on the hook’s most vibrant point of expression. Terms like multidimensionality get thrown around an awful lot in our industry nowadays, but rarely do I have the opportunity to hear someone who lives up to the description as well as this set of players does.
These are some danceable grooves, but as previously noted, the poetic narrative sounds a little too authentic for me to feel like “He Reminds Me of You” was destined to be a swinger. There’s an introspective quality to this material that I would love to see The High Plains Drifters explore even more than they have thus far, and with the right creative direction to guide their music away from even the slightest commercial influences, I think it could cultivate a deeper sense of personality listeners are bound to fall in love with.
Crushingly melodic in all the right spots, pop and indie rock fans need to check out what The High Plains Drifters are up to in their new single “He Reminds Me of You” this winter. Despite the relatively simple compositional integrities coming together here, I just don’t know if there is any getting around the elaborate depth of artistry giving the content a boost other releases just aren’t afforded on the mainstream or underground level. The High Plains Drifters operate like one of the elites in pop music today in this single, and I’m looking forward to seeing what their confidence yields next.
Cleopatra Patel