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Jun 13, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Wyndham Garnett

HAHA is a new indie electro pop outfit from Maria Taylor of Azure Ray and producer Mike Bloom (Jenny Lewis, Julian Casablancas, Richard Edwards). The pair have run in the same circles for years now, with Bloom’s band The Elected opening for Azure Ray’s reunion show in 2018, but HAHA marks the pair’s first solo collaboration. Accompanying the news of the project, Taylor and Bloom are also sharing the band’s debut single, “Only Gets Better,” premiering early with Under the Radar.

“Only Gets Better” sees the duo trying on a sleek and anthemic style of synth pop, complete with glittering synths, a sweeping pop chorus, and some energetic drumwork from Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello, Elliott Smith, Lucinda Williams). It’s a new sound for both artists, but one that they inhabit well, offering a track that feels like an ‘80s throwback imbued with the urgency of aughts indie rock. The duo describes the track as “It is a mission statement for a possible future, a toast to the immediate past, and an urgency for right now,”

Bloom continues, saying of the song, Bloom says, “We came together on what became this cohesive vision almost by accident, after years of being friends. A seemingly endless feedback loop of inspiration followed, and we were jumping over ourselves to get ideas down. These songs seemed to take on their own respective shapes and identities, likely in ways we never would have discovered on our own or with anyone else. This song started the fire and so it only seemed right to give it air before the others..”

Check out the song below, out everywhere on June 14th via Flower Moon Records. Pre-save the track here.