Rising Arp: This Is Hijack Hayley, The Outfit That’s Making Indie Rock Cool Again

Indie rock is alive and well with Hijack Hayley (Credit: House of Philemon)

“It’s indie rock & roll for me” – a killer maxim that represented the zeitgeist du jour of the noughties. It was the golden age of alternative guitar bands that fuelled a millennial generation of Topshop-clad kiddos, sparking off heated debates about whether The Kooks were better than Razorlight. But if this resonates deeply with you, you’ll know that that era has hung up its boots, and what a glorious run it was. Yet there are those who continue to follow the footsteps of their heroes, cordoning off the trends of modern times for a sound blatantly steeped in a brew of nostalgia. For the four lads of Hijack Hayley, it’s indie rock & roll for them.

Hijack Hayley comprises Munir on lead guitar, Randy on bass, Terence on vocals and guitar, and Russell on drums (Credit: House of Philemon)

While formed in 2017, Hijack Hayley is still on the cusp of their big break in the local music scene. They played a long game, refining their unapologetically classic sound until the eventual release of their first single in 2020. They’ve since continued to hunker down on their arduous quest of crafting new material (an EP is in the works), and racked up several performance accolades that have made this quartet ones to watch. Their gig portfolio includes a coveted spot on the digital edition of IGNITE! Music Festival and a spot on Tiger Crystal Fire Stages at Timbre+; not to mention the crown jewel achievement of becoming a Budding Band for Baybeats this year.

It’s pertinent to state that watching Hijack Hayley live is the most potent way of imbibing their rock-charged repertoire, for these are compositions that were constructed with big payoffs in mind. Take their debut, “Burning Bridges”, for instance. In essence, it’s a middle finger to the stubborn and elusive pursuit of closure in ruptured relationships, all while embodying a tenacious, swaggery spirit with its rugged textures and suave pace. “Inside” is a magnetic crowd-pleaser with its anthemic, tension-and-release arrangement that encapsulates themes of ennui and escape. And on their latest number, “Hesitate”, it’s punctuated with a chorus sporting a pounding presence led by hammering drum fusillades, as well as a jet-packed guitar solo that flaunts its wingspan while it soars. Anchored by a compelling frontman whose timbre switches between pristine deliveries and coarse outbursts, these are chiselled compositions with the heart of rock & roll in their blood.

While the heyday of indie rock has ridden off into the sunset, Hijack Hayley is firmly taking the reins in instigating the genre’s unsuspected but much-welcomed comeback.