Han Gan, taking their name from the Vietnamese word for heal, is a duo that finds a sound that brings together punk, post-rock and psychedelia. Hailing from Washington, formed in a high-rise overlooking the Potomac River and the U.S. Capitol, the band observe the world around them, inviting listeners to question their surroundings through music and enjoy it along the way.
Han Gan’s latest single, ‘Pull the Pin’, is a momentous call to action. The band utilise their punk energy to bring forward a narrative of making a change, putting yourself at the centre and taking control of the world around you. Delivering this message through aggressive vocal performance, an evolving, distorted guitar riff and a drum that once it starts, just can’t stop, the band bring a fury, a true challenge to the listener. As the middle section is reached, the instrumentation washes out, the elements still there but rising up towards the heavens, moving from raw punk to intricate alt-rock in their sound, though the themes of self-responsibility remain until the final fading bass note.
Han Gan shares, “‘Pull the Pin’ comes from a mediative and spiritual place, which transcends any religious or political doctrines; it started with a question of how to operate from a place of heart-centred love for all, but also be prepared to take the actions necessary to challenge the harms selfish leaders and exploitive economic and cultural programming impose on us all personally and on our world.”
