09/04/2026
HUTCH DELIVER PSYCHEDELIC MAJESTICISM WITH LATEST SINGLE 'PEPPER KETTLE'
HUTCH DELIVER PSYCHEDELIC MAJESTICISM WITH LATEST SINGLE 'PEPPER KETTLE'
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Words by Ben Ward | Artwork by Sekinue
Brighton's favourite six-piece psychedelic twang-pop ensemble are back, delivering yet another polished single that solidifies their reputation as a bountiful entity brimming with whimsy and eccentricity.
‘Pepper Kettle’ rolls and retreats on a pendulum of considered antithesis, transitioning from a familiarly warm 60s-inspired first section, similar to the likes of Jefferson Airplane, to an increasingly ominous and dissonant sonic aesthetic as we venture further into the track. Initially, we are provided an array of twangy hooks coinciding with tidy instrumentation to generate a formula that plants itself upon a heath of radiant gaiety. JP and Dan's vocal synergy sit in a higher register and really captivate this hypnotic element when we approach the chorus with a descending spiral of syllabic delivery, emulating the patient yet persuasive nature of the tide. You're bound to feel immersed in the whimsy.
As the track develops, we encounter an incrementally ominous undertone. With the introduction of new captivating textures underneath the second chorus, the maturity of the rhythm section really elevates the jovial nature of the track. This begins to generate that enticing juxtaposition until we are left on a sustained decay of vocals, bringing us into a rather inconspicuous dissonant instrumentation where all these aforementioned textures are heightened in the mix with the introduction of conversation samples, percussive elements and sparse guitar flourishes that draw the listener in and out of a psychedelic trance.
It becomes progressively more haunting with the dissonance of the guitar being exacerbated as we veer towards the end of the track, as we encounter the pinnacle of the haunting cacophony, encapsulating that boiling of the kettle, before venturing back into the first section structure via a jarring yet impressive transition.
Following the release of the exceptional ‘Mrs Sunshine’ and with an EP on the horizon, Hutch are keeping their fans enticed in the justified hype as we move into sunnier times.
We spoke to Hutch to hear more about the single and their upcoming release.
Photo by Sophia Metliss
When was ‘Pepper Kettle’ written and how did it develop until the release date?
Dan: ‘Pepper Kettle’ was written many moons ago when the world was still and the virus was rife. We had started the band in January 2020 and then plunged headfirst into lockdown. Making music and navigating life in general was a peculiar experience back then so ‘Pepper Kettle’ was a direct reflection of that. Write what you know, they always say, and what we knew was WEIRD.
I think ‘Pepper Kettle’ came from a particularly chaotic day of writing. We would fire ideas over email and when JP sent me this one he also told me about how had recorded this scratchy demo straight into his laptop crouching in the space between his bed and the wall. I think you can hear that in the music. It then fell out of rotation until more recently when we were throwing around ideas for what to record in the studio. We came back to it and built it in the rehearsal room, leaning heavily on that strange original demo.
Describe the new single in 3 words?
Dan: Nightmare nursery rhyme
If this single sonic aesthetic could be an existing film, which film would it be?
Dan: Probably something Lynchian, Eraserhead or Mulholland Drive perhaps.
What was the starting point of ‘Pepper Kettle’?
Dan: I wanted to make this song as chaotic and chop-n-change as possible, like a tired pair of anxious eyes. The chords jump around and I tried really hard to not make them resolve until the very end of each phrase. Back in lockdown, it was hard to write (or even think) about real people, real things, changing and moving forward. I found myself just staring at my red kettle, and watching its little rumbles and shakes as it boiled. It seemed as good a subject as any other.
The break-down section came from the demo, as I recorded up to the point where I had written to, I had no motivation or time constraint to stop recording, and I let the last chord carry on as I sat there mindlessly strumming it. It became creepy and strange, and I liked the chaos of that at the time. Sonically, that is how most of the lockdown felt to me.
What was an album that you were all inspired by when writing this track?
Dan: Oooooh good question, we were listening to lots around that time. Melody's Echo Chamber and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Yeah maybe King Gizzard's Paper Mache Dream Balloon. Fantastic album!
JP: I was listening to a lot of Lorelle Meets the Obsolete (Lineas en Hojas), Pottery’s album Welcome to Bobby’s Motel, and Talking Heads (can’t narrow it down to one album, but I was definitely inspired by some of the recording techniques on Fear of Music.
What can we expect from the upcoming EP?
JP: You can expect some more conventional psych-pop, perhaps some more indie pop leaning songs and one of our absolute favourite big riffy live songs. It’s a song that we tend to play when we are fortunate enough to get an encore and as such it will be the last tune on the EP. The EP as a whole serves as a closing of a chapter of ups, downs and loop de loops. The whimsical world of Hutch is ever evolving.
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