SINGLE REVIEW: Hatari – Fuck You Look Good

Hatari have never been ones to do things quietly. The Icelandic trio emerged into the wider European consciousness when they represented their nation at the Eurovision 2019 competition, held in Tel Aviv; not only did they stun viewers with their BDSM coded performance and outrageous industrial single, ‘Hatrið mun sigra’, but the trio found themselves in hot water for waving Palestinian flags during a televised segment of the program. It remains darkly fascinating how little we have progressed in the past seven years; if anything, we have slipped backwards.

The band went on to release a solid debut record, ‘Neyslutrans’, that continued to build upon their enigmatic electronic style, but then would amicably part ways with founding member Matthías Haraldsson, leading to an extended period of silence. Since 2023, the three piece has featured Icelandic-Gambian actor and musician Davíð Katrínarson on vocal duties. Whilst the current line-up have released a collection of solid industrial bangers over recent years, their most recent effort feels like the moment it has all come together for these musicians.

‘Fuck You Look Good‘ is, perhaps expectedly, a wickedly raunchy affair that weaves the bombastic, industrial aggression of the band’s sound with pure, smouldering horniness. Having shifted from their native Icelandic tongue to the English language, there was the risk that the band’s sound would not quite land as impactfully as it once had, but Katrínarson and Klemens Hannigan make for absolutely incredible performers that share an undeniable chemistry; Hannigan’s feathery pop vocals suck you in effortlessly with their pleading, desperate tones, whilst Katrínarson delivers screamed sucker punches that exude a commanding, controlled rage. When Katrínarson delivers the bars ‘Of course I look good/You’d fuck me if you could‘, you cannot help but find yourself devoid of any argument on the matter.

These twin vocal lines are buoyed perfectly by a twisted, pulsing instrumental that uses looping hooks to hypnotise the listener. Producer and drummer Einar Stefánsson weaves together house styled beats with harsh, industrial synths to craft an incredible exercise in tension, as the track pushes and pulls between lust and disgust.

It seems not only clear that the future for Hatari is brighter than ever, but also that to have ever questioned this fact was deeply foolish; ‘Fuck You Look Good‘ is undoubtedly one of their finest tracks to date. Even with the inclusion of Katrínarson and the shift to the English language, Hatari sound more intent on raising hell than ever before, and having a hedonistic ball whilst doing so. Just pray you don’t have an allergy to latex.

For Fans Of: Justice, Rammstein, Zardonic, Northlane, Electric Callboy

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Bandcamp