Marika Hackman has been a quiet leader of the British indie queer music scene for years. 2017’s ‘I’m Not Your Man’ and 2019’s ‘Any Human Friend’ are both beautiful albums exploring gender, sex and insecurity. Finally, after a 4 year musical silence, she’s announced her upcoming album ‘Big Sigh’ first with the single ‘No Caffeine’ and now with the haunting ‘Hanging’. 

The majority of the song is a gentle contemplation on an abusive relationship. Hackman quietly sings heartbreaking lines about being in love with someone who treats you with cruelty. “Remember when you said I’m a disease and how you’d like to kill me in your dreams” she murmurs in the second verse. But at the last moment she yells out as the instruments crescendo into a powerful ending as she decides to leave her partner. Hackman explained the meaning of this outro in a statement: “‘Yeah you were a part of me, i’m so relieved it hurts’ is describing how painful it still is to break up even if it’s not right.”

“Hanging is reflecting on a difficult past relationship and how you can trap yourself in a situation where you’re unable to grow into the next stage of your life,” 

Although she has a loyal fanbase and has inspired many current artists, hopefully this will be the album that brings Hackman the love she deserves. She’s consistently been one of the best indie artists around, with an extremely strong backlog of music and only seems to be getting better as she ages, looking back in reflection at her past choices and mistakes. 

‘Big Sigh’ is set to release in 2024, accompanies by a string of tour dates across the UK and Europe in March and April.