Photo: Will Hutchinson

Portsmouth quartet Hallan have this week shared their jubilant new single Lilian's Regret following last night’s BBC 6 Music Steve Lamacq premiere. Filled with euphroic synth melodies and encapsulating vocals, the track serves as an exciting look to what lays ahead as it forms the band's first new material of 2025. Speaking ahead of their current single release, frontman Conor Clements stated: “With questionable events happening in the world today, the question to pose is “where is empathy?”.  After watching the show “World’s Toughest Prisons”, I was particularly drawn toan episode examining the life of Lilian, a murderer housed in a Moldovan prison. The episode humanises Lilian, throwing a spotlight on his thoughts, regrets and beliefs. Lilian experiences poor living conditions, living in a small concrete room with a 32 step corridor being his only choice of exercise. He has no access to open air and his only refuge is a small karaoke set he keeps under his bed. Despite being a well mannered and likeable man, it is later in the episode that his violent and abhorrent crimes are revealed. ‘Lilian’s Regret’ examines the complexity of human emotion and regretful action, a song which asks the listener to consider the fundamental question “does everyone deserve forgiveness?”. The single also encourages discussion around the conditions of international prisoners and reflection on the current criminal-justice system’s ability to observe and acknowledge authentic rehabilitation.” Take a listen for yourselves below.

Live Dates
4th April -Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
5th April -Esquires, Bedford
6th April -Waterfront, Norwich
8th April -Dead Wax, Birmingham
9th April -The Louisiana, Bristol
10th April -Lexington, London
11th April -Hope & Ruin, Brighton
15th April -Hallamshire Hotel, Sheffield
16th April -Sneaky Petes, Edinburgh
17th April -Castle Hotel, Manchester

i: https://www.instagram.com/hallanband