Richmond’s one-man crew hbiba (aka Hicham Benhallam) just dropped “Something Here,” a raw, gnarly beast that claws at your ribs with jagged synth lines, live-wire drums, and lyrics that scream suburban disillusionment.
Benhallam’s a one-man army on this thing – writing, producing, and mixing every layer himself. It’s DIY to the core, but special, and plugged into a wall of amps. His vocals are like a slow burn, simmering with pent-up anger that’s just waiting to boil over. But the real star of the show? Taylor Haag’s drums. Holy hell, those things don’t just keep the beat – they’re on a warpath. Haag’s fills are all sharp elbows and raw nerves, battling it out with Benhallam’s warped guitar loops and twitchy beats.
“Something Here” is a Polaroid of modern drift—lost friendships, dead-end nights, and the hollow glow of a Topgolf Tuesday. Lines like “hand on the brick wall / hand on your side” and “call all the neighbors / losing my mind” show the picture of suburban absurdity raised to 11. Benhallam’s not just singing about this stuff – he’s tearing it apart and stitching it back together with static and distortion. The whole track is a beautiful mess of contradictions. It’s warm and fuzzy one second, then jagged and digital the next. The words cut deep, but they’re buried under layers of chaotic sound. And just when you think it’s all going to fall apart, Haag’s drums swoop in to hold the whole thing together.
This isn’t background music. This is the soundtrack for those nights when you’re alone in an empty parking lot, questioning every life choice you’ve ever made. It’s for those moments when cranking the volume is the only thing keeping you sane. The whole thing feels dangerous, like it could veer off the rails at any moment. So do yourself a favour. Turn it up until your speakers beg for mercy. Let the wall of sound crash over you like a tidal wave of beautiful chaos. And start praying to whatever musical god you believe in that hbiba’s next releases in 2025 hit just as hard. Your ears might never forgive you, but your soul will thank you.
“Something Here” by hbiba is streaming everywhere. Richmond’s quiet storm ain’t so quiet anymore.