Hutch share their debut EP ‘Smile and Wave’
The Brighton-based groovers share their first EP.
Photo: Ele Marchant
Hutch certainly are a band that love to go against the grain of big city-centric post-punk sounds and heavier-sounding bands that seem to fill so many of our beloved independent venues. “We just choose to focus on the good things and small moments of peace in a big hectic world,” the band say — and this wholesome worldview seeps happily into their artistic medium of choice, revelling in the folkish and psychedelic tones of the ‘60s. This, along with their dedication to putting on plentiful dates during their tours, has quickly started to build Hutch quite a dedicated fan base. Starting from the humble roots as a soundtrack effort to their Mighty Boosh-esque cartoon ‘Mark Monsoon and the Children of the Sky’ (which I can only imagine was unbelievably bizarre) we’ve seen them now grow to the release of their debut EP: Smile and Wave.
The EP starts with a track we were introduced to at the start of the Autumn months last year: The Bow. It serves as an excellent introduction for those uninitiated to the wonders that Hutch can provide. Pushing heavily into a neo-psychedelic headspace, The Bow is happy to be as loose in its structure as it can be. This is complemented with an absolute cram of light, jangly riffs that seem to fill every nook and cranny of this song. This magical mix can certainly feel disorienting in places – something I’m sure the band will revel in causing – especially as they compose themselves ever so slightly in the pre-chorus before the madness begins again.
If The Bow is the raw essence of the anarchy that Hutch can provide, Ice on a Lake is its orderly antithesis. While its neat clean licks and more structured hooks are certainly pleasing to the ear, the harmonious vocal work of this song is its real pull. It’s fairly reminiscent of the likes of Fleet Foxes in places; each band member’s vocal input perfectly complements one another in melodic delight. While its lyrics may not instil any deep meaning to the listener on its first play — “I want to break Ice on the lake / I took a stone from Hugh’s house, and put it in my palm” — it’s a nice little titbit that the Hugh in question is Hugh Laurie. The band took a trip to a frozen lake in 2023 where, upon wanting to break the ice, they took a stone from which they’re “75% sure came from Hugh Laurie’s house”. It’s such a delightful little oddity of information that even if it falls into the 25% of being anyone else’s house, I now choose to fondly believe it was Hugh’s.
The lack of profound meaning in their lyrics and songs is something Hutch revels in. “We like rainbows and lakes, it’s really that simple,” comments the band. Seeing their craft like this means the band can take the mundane of the world and mould and craft it into their musical medium to make something quite artistically sublime. This can be seen in the EP’s next song Marmalade Air, a song about lazing the day away in bed. It’s soft and hazy — as you would imagine a song on such a topic would be – capturing the feeling of starting at the bedroom ceiling on a late Saturday morning as the sun has slowly managed to creep its way into the room, warmly illuminating all in its sight.
See It All is perhaps the jewel of this release. It’s laden with the warm and friendly feelings of a summer in yesteryear. It introduces itself with an almost mystical harp, creating images of wondrous forest folklore and pagan delights – a feeling only strengthened by its soft and spectre-like vocals entering the scene. It’s much lighter in psychedelic tones than in previous places on this EP – which I think is something that works well for the band, allowing them to easily craft their rather unique style. The guitar work in this song is perhaps the best I’ve heard from the band so far – the song’s late solo is an excellent conclusion to an excellent release.
Smile and Wave is an EP that manages to do exactly what its name declares; it places a warm grin on your face and lovingly welcomes you in to share in its delights. It’s an EP that doesn’t need to make itself feel clever or witty just for the sake of it – much like the band itself it’s an expression of the joy music can bring in its raw form.
