While still in high school, Michel joined West Coast dream pop outfit Craft Spells and spent almost eight months touring the U.S. and Europe as their drummer. Not long afterward, he developed an unusual disorder called depersonalization, which causes sufferers to feel like they are observing themselves outside of their body. Trying to cope with the anxiety brought on by his disorder, he formed his own project, Hibou, and began crafting hazy bedroom pop songs whose billowing melodies and shimmering guitar parts suggested a dreamlike state. He self-released an EP, Dunes, in 2013 and was subsequently signed to Barsuk, which issued his eponymous home-recorded full-length debut two years later. Having played all the parts himself, Michel employed a touring band to represent Hibou on the road, opening shows for groups like Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Phantogram. To further develop his sound, he worked with a producer, Dylan Wall, in a proper studio and recorded 2018's lusher and more intricate Something Familiar with his touring bandmates. A third Hibou album, Halve, appeared a year later that delved deeper into themes of melancholia and change.
Biograhy by Timothy Monger
Hideaway
Hibou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, you talk, but I don't know if you will
And I won't let you in
To where we lie and spin
'Cause all the circles in the sand must remain for something
All awake, in time for the night
Every thought to keep up with modern light
But I can't let you in
And wash away my skin to forget that feeling
Where she waits, in a haze
With a sound only we will know
Some in dust, some in dreams
Some in flame, and some just hide away
Coax them out through my sheets
With a sound only we will know
In Hibou's song "Hideaway," the lyrics are speaking to the idea of keeping secrets and hiding parts of oneself away. The singer is pushing back against an unknown person who wants to be let in, but the singer refuses to allow them access to where secrets are kept. The circles in the sand represent the things we keep to ourselves and protect, and the singer is determined to keep them safe. The singer acknowledges the modern world and the pressure to keep up with it but still wants to keep certain things to themselves, which is shown through the repetition of "I won't let you in."
The lyrics also mention a haze and a sound that only we will know. This line implies a shared secret between two people, which is too intimate to share with others. Still, the singer wants to coax out this secret with the person who knows it to remember a feeling that is hard to forget.
The song overall presents a sense of loss and connection. The singer understands that everyone hides parts of themselves, but they still want to find someone who they can share those secrets with, someone who knows the sounds and the haze that only we will know.
Line by Line Meaning
If I knew, I wouldn't be here still
I am stuck in this situation because I don't have enough knowledge to move on.
Yeah, you talk, but I don't know if you will
I am uncertain about your intentions and whether or not you will follow through with them.
And I won't let you in
I refuse to let you into my inner world.
To where we lie and spin
To where we are vulnerable and restless.
'Cause all the circles in the sand must remain for something
All the things that seem trivial or meaningless may have more significance than we realize.
All awake, in time for the night
Fully alert and aware, even during the dark and uncertain times.
Every thought to keep up with modern light
Every idea trying to keep up with modern advancements and lifestyles.
But I can't let you in
I am afraid to let you see the parts of me that are broken and vulnerable.
To where the waves begin
To where my emotions and fears originate from.
And wash away my skin to forget that feeling
And to use the waves to cleanse myself of the painful memories associated with that feeling.
Where she waits, in a haze
Where the person I am waiting for is in a state of confusion and uncertainty.
With a sound only we will know
With a unique and personal connection that only we share.
Some in dust, some in dreams
Some things are lost and forgotten while others are imaginary and unattainable.
Some in flame, and some just hide away
Some things are consumed by passion and intensity while others are hidden and kept secret.
Coax them out through my sheets
To try and bring those hidden thoughts and emotions to the surface.
With a sound only we will know
With a bond and understanding that is unexplainable to others.
Contributed by Kaitlyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.