Review / 200 Words Or Less
Haiku Salut
Tricolore

How Does It Feel to Be Loved? (2013) Sarah

Haiku Salut – Tricolore cover artwork
Haiku Salut – Tricolore — How Does It Feel to Be Loved?, 2013

To say Haiku Salut are an odd ensemble would fall several metres short of the mark, judging by their 2013 release Tricolore.

Their music has influences from all over the map, unifying elements of indie, post-rock, electronic music, and even baroque pop. Their compositions, largely instrumental, rarely conform to expectations, with each piece taking more twists and turns than can be kept track of. Yet despite the confusing exterior, the album has an inescapably intriguing atmosphere about it. By virtue of the unexpected choices in instruments and style, each song is designed to pique your interest, to the point where hearing one track means you'll likely listen to the whole album by accident.

The whole album sounds kitschy, but incidentally so--Haiku Salut sound like they just so happened to stumble upon the magical unifying element of musical enjoyment. They deserve credit for producing an album that not only catches the listener off guard, but keeps her on her toes until the very end. Tricolore is like nothing I've ever heard, and I mean that to be a profound compliment. You definitely need to give this album a listen.

6.5 / 10Sarah • September 16, 2013

Haiku Salut – Tricolore cover artwork
Haiku Salut – Tricolore — How Does It Feel to Be Loved?, 2013

Recently-posted album reviews

Sexfaces

Bad Vibes OST
Slovenly (2025)

Best thing about writing reviews is finding out about new stuff that I otherwise might not have heard. Also writing reviews for bands that aren’t friends of mine is pretty cool but when I hear a band I really like, like Sex Faces, it makes me want to be friends with them, I can't help it! I’m not even halfway … Read more

Unseemlier

I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere
Sell The Heart Records (2025)

What does Unseemlier sound like? I've been mulling that question as I listen to I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere for a while now. As I listen to more and more Sell The Heart releases, The band is from Boston, but seemingly influenced by late '80s DC. It's heavy, but more with hardcore-like vocals shouted over moving, building guitars and … Read more

Personality Cult

Dilated
Dirtnap (2025)

I had a hard time starting this review. I can’t help coming back to the fact that it sounds like Marked Men. It does, maybe intentionally so, as Dilated is the second of Personality Cult’s albums that is produced by Jeff Burke of Marked Men and Radioactivity. But I don’t necessarily like to say a band sounds like another band … Read more