Hutch

With songs about rainbows in the sky, trips to icy lakes in the Winter, and getting out of bed, such is the innocent simplicity to Hutch’s world that it conjures an extraordinary magic all of its own.

In a musical landscape so populated with the harsh rigours of post-punk urbanity, industrial abrasiveness, or electronic abstractions, it seemed that, somehow, something as simple as focusing on nature’s elemental beauties - with a sunny melody or two thrown in - could too provide its own essential, cathartic pleasure - “We just choose to focus on the good things and small moments of peace in a big hectic world.”

Now arriving with their first major release to date - their sound somewhat matured (but themes thankfully not) Hutch’s 'Smile and Wave' EP reclines bedecked in jangly guitars, time-jolting tempo shifts and angelic 4 part vocal harmonies, rosy-eyed harp-twinkles and rapturous psychedelic explorations. Mingling the lysergic gooiness of The Babe Rainbow and King Gizzard’s Paper-mâché Dream Balloon, the lilting lyricism of Stella Donnelly and the subtly complex wholesomeness of Her’s - 'Smile and Wave' is an EP coated in a joyous glow and refreshing sense of childlike-whimsy; a welcoming escape from reality and a cosy ascent towards radiant paradise.

And true to form, the themes of the songs themselves appropriately revel in twinkling, yet decidedly mundane, fantasy. Lead single ‘The Bow’, with grinning sincerity, describes dancing underneath a rainbow. The chugging ‘‘Ice on The Lake’ takes inspiration from a snowy country walk taken by the group while on tour in Bedford, and their failure to break through the thick, frozen-over water, with a reference to an iconic British actor too; “We took a stone from what we’re 75% sure was Hugh Laurie’s house”, they confess. Then there’s ‘Marmalade Air’, about lazing in bed. And if you’re looking for all kinds of profound hidden messaging underneath all of this, then that’s on you: “We like rainbows and lakes, it's really that simple.”

“Hutch airily reject the well-trodden path of disillusionment and choose instead to hone in on life’s elemental joys.” Hard of Hearing

"leaving you with a smile that’s hard to remove" So Young

"There's nothing unpretentious or over the top about Hutch, they're just playing good music to good people" Clunk

"wistful vocals and a wide-eyed sense of wonder" Shindig!

"a glorious technicolour explosion" Wax