The band is best known thanks to the single Stars from the album You'd Prefer An Astronaut, appearing in the tops of several magazines and on various radio stations at the time.
The band was mostly inactive (except for sporadic performances) until reuniting in 2015 for a series of short tours. On June 23, 2020, the band announced and released Inlet by surprise via the internet, their first album of new material in over twenty-two years. On July 1, 2021, it was announced via Instagram that the band's longtime drummer Bryan St. Pere had passed away at the age of 52, prompting the band to cease activities once again.
There are others named Hum:
2) Hum is a Russian artist named Dmitry Chistov who creates emotional "dronescapes" with a prolific output and quite active in the Russian underground scene under various names such as Maw, Sphogha, etc. He is closely related to Exit in Grey as they have a similar musical style and occasionally work together on collaborative CDs.
3) Hum is a Thai pop-soul group originally from Chiangmai, who released an eponymous album (Hum) before splitting up.
4) Hum is a diverse Russian experimental electronic project by Valentin Lanskoy. His albums to date are: Home Music, Aera and Komsomol Scouts Space, the last one released on CD by USC label.
The Summoning
Hum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A river cuts through the rocks and we
Stand in blissful silence, backs to the afternoon
I am over soon
A certain purpose fills the lungs
Eternal feasting upon my tongue
The sideways dust that fills our footsteps until they disappear
We were never here
A burning giant, against the day
Fingers to the ground
I find my way
A parasite that eats up distance until it disappears
I was never here
To sleep in meadows
And lose the young
To taste the autumn upon my tongue
Let this be the last assumption that you were never wrong
I am ever wrong
Misplaced dreams given up forgone
Maps are lost and never meant a thing here anyway
I covet then the ground, so soft and warm here
As I covet then the starlight fallen there
And I see fires fuelled by heavy air
A twist and I'm gone
Through the ether and on to home
A slip and I'm all
Lit up and falling slow
A twist and I'm gone
Through the ether and on to home
A slip and I'm all
Lit up and falling slow
Falling on through the atmosphere
Just a twist and I'm gone
Through the ether and on to home
Through the ether and on to home
"The Summoning" by Hum is a song filled with mysterious and abstract imagery, allowing for various interpretations. The lyrics suggest a sense of detachment and transient existence, as well as the longing for connection and understanding.
In the first verse, the lines "If anything can speak to me, A river cuts through the rocks and we" evoke the idea of seeking meaning from nature. The singer stands with someone in silence, perhaps in the beauty of nature, but there is a sense of impermanence ("I am over soon") and a feeling that their presence will soon be forgotten ("We were never here").
The second verse introduces the image of a "burning giant" and a "parasite that eats up distance." These metaphors could symbolize a powerful and consuming force that dominates the singer's journey. The mention of experiencing autumn on their tongue suggests a desire to fully embrace life's changes and seasons. There is also a plea for the recognition of fallibility, stating "Let this be the last assumption that you were never wrong, I am ever wrong." It highlights a willingness to accept mistakes and learn from them.
The third verse portrays a sense of displacement and the loss of direction ("Misplaced dreams given up forgone, Maps are lost and never meant a thing here anyway"). The singer seeks solace in the ground beneath them, finding comfort and warmth ("I covet then the ground, so soft and warm here"). They also express a yearning for the beauty of the night sky and the fires that burn fueled by heavy air, suggesting a longing for something greater or beyond their current existence.
The repetition of the lines "A twist and I'm gone, Through the ether and on to home, Through the ether and on to home" in the final section signifies a desire for escape or transcendence. It implies a yearning to break free from the constraints of reality and find a sense of belonging and peace. The mention of falling through the atmosphere can be seen as a metaphor for embracing change and surrendering to the uncertainties of life.
Overall, "The Summoning" can be interpreted as a lyrical exploration of the transitory nature of existence, the search for purpose and connection, and the longing for self-discovery and inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
If anything can speak to me
If there is any form of communication that can reach me
A river cuts through the rocks and we
A powerful force overcomes obstacles and we are a part of it
Stand in blissful silence, backs to the afternoon
We find peace in silence, turning away from the busyness of the day
I am over soon
My time is coming to an end
A certain purpose fills the lungs
A definite sense of direction and meaning fills us
Eternal feasting upon my tongue
Constantly experiencing and enjoying life to its fullest
The sideways dust that fills our footsteps until they disappear
The transient nature of our existence, leaving no lasting trace
We were never here
Our presence and impact are inconsequential, easily forgotten
A burning giant, against the day
A massive, influential force that opposes the ordinary
Fingers to the ground
I find my way
Using intuition and touch to navigate and discover
A parasite that eats up distance until it disappears
An entity that consumes space until it vanishes
I was never here
My presence, just like my existence, is ephemeral
To sleep in meadows
And lose the young
To find solace and tranquility in nature while letting go of youthful aspirations
To taste the autumn upon my tongue
To fully experience the beauty and essence of the passing season
Let this be the last assumption that you were never wrong
May this be the final belief that you are always right
I am ever wrong
I acknowledge that I am frequently mistaken
Misplaced dreams given up forgone
Abandoned aspirations that were never in the right place to begin with
Maps are lost and never meant a thing here anyway
Navigational guides are useless and had no significance in this context
I covet then the ground, so soft and warm here
I strongly desire the comforting and inviting earthly surface
As I covet then the starlight fallen there
Similarly, I long for the ethereal beauty of fallen starlight
And I see fires fuelled by heavy air
I observe intense burning flames sustained by dense atmosphere
A twist and I'm gone
Through the ether and on to home
A sudden turn and I disappear, transcending into the ethereal realm towards my origin
A slip and I'm all
Lit up and falling slow
A momentary mistake and I become illuminated, slowly descending
Falling through the atmosphere
Descending dramatically through the layers of the atmosphere
Just a twist and I'm gone
Through the ether and on to home
A simple change and I vanish, journeying through the ethereal realm back to my true place
Through the ether and on to home
Crossing the ethereal space towards the familiar destination
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bryan St. Pere, Jeffery Dimpsey, Matt Talbott, Tim Lash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind