Brisbane’s Hatchie has rejuvenated the dream pop genre with their debut EP, Sugar & Spice. Frontwoman Harriette Pilbeam has constructed a sound that’s somehow reminiscent of high school, John Hughes and Toronto’s Ralph, with a hint of The 1975’s neon electricity thrown in for good measure.
Sugar & Spice is a well-crafted, expertly produced EP that gives great promise to a full-length. Four of the five songs were singles; ‘Try’ was unsurprisingly the most commercially popular release – a synth-laden banger with soft harmonies that pair perfectly with the song’s sentiment.
‘Bad Guy’ closes off the record; the slow, simple backbeat gives the solemn lyrics extra weight. It ties off the EP as an ambitious ballad that could be played on a melancholy rainy-day train ride home, or blasted from a boombox over John Cusack’s greasy, ‘89 hairdo.
The debut lacks any huge red flags – authentic lyrics and great production are well received. However, the songs (with the exception of ‘Bad Guy’) tend to blur together.
Overall, it’s a great release from a new artist – we should be excited to see what Hatchie gets up to next, albeit wary of the newcomers straying too close to those who’ve come before them.
7/10
