REVIEW: Hans Pucket - Jalapeño

Raquel Dalarossa

“If life’s a nuisance, embrace your accidents,” advises Hans Pucket’s lead singer Oli Devlin, on the second track of the band’s second EP, Jalapeño. And though, just a couple songs later, he admits that he “never even takes [his] own advice” (“Illest”), the five-track release is evidence that the New Zealanders have indeed gladly rolled with the punches that have brought them to their current standing.

Hans Pucket started out as a twosome—the lo-fi, pop-punky project of twins Oliver and Callum Devlin. Their first EP arrived in January of 2014, comprised of seven songs totally steeped in reverb and delay, with some added psych-y effects which helped flesh out their recordings. As the months went on, the two went on tour, relocated to a new city, and discovered a new underground community, all while continuing their studies. They even added a third member to the group, drummer Jonathan Nott. Though live performances remained pretty regular, the recording process for their second release proved to be much more challenging than their first go around.

These unplanned twists in the band’s development turned out to be fruitful, to say the least. Though a two-year break in between their EPs was certainly not intentional, it allowed word-of-mouth about Hans Pucket to steadily spread, and Jalapeño is now being met with anticipation that was long simmering. They dedicated time to honing their live sound, while also being forced to do some recalibration following their evolution into a trio. Without a doubt, it’s all paid off: the five new tracks we’re getting showcase a sound that is more confident and much more nuanced.

The EP kicks off with a super engaging instrumental, featuring a hoppy lead guitar that shows just why “Jalapeño” would make for a fitting title. The sound is immediately noticeably different from the band’s previous release—punchier and neater, as though a layer of grime has been wiped right off. Once the vocals appear in the following tracks, the marked clarity of these recordings becomes even more obvious; gone is the super lo-fi aesthetic, but the garage-pop feel of the music remains, with minor psychedelic embellishments making an appearance from time to time. The third track, “Feelings,” makes all of these elements recognizable up front: a woozy opening leads to hard-hitting, ‘70s-leaning power chords, while catchy hooks and “ooh”s in the chorus reinforce the pop angle. 

Mostly, these tracks are rather mellow, but they each involve a heavy amount of instrumental and even lyrical playfulness that keep things very interesting. And at these somewhat slower tempos, it’s easier still to perceive how much refinement and growth Hans Pucket has undergone. Though it’s merely a five-track, sophomore release, Jalapeño is no doubt a statement. If the trio continue at this rate, a full-length album from them is sure to be a stunner.

REVIEW: Introverted Dancefloor - Introverted Dancefloor

Kelly Kirwan

Bevan Smith has a fresh moniker. In the past he’s been a facet of electro/indie groups like Ruby Suns and Skallander, while also releasing solo ventures as Signer and Aspen. Now, with a new (eponymously-titled) EP on deck for release, our New Zealand expat has re-emerged under the guise of Introverted Dancefloor. Feels like a bit of riddle, right? Usually you don’t pair introspection with a form of exhibition, but then you hear the “chill” kind of dance music Smith has created and these pieces begin to fit together. This is more of an interpretive, modern kind of dance space than a strobe light-riddled, head-banging EDM den. And while his vocals stay soft and even-keeled, the beats themselves are layered and fast-paced.

Which is ironic, considering the bare-bones arsenal Smith used in his composition. With a microphone, two synthesizers, filter and effects processor, he traipsed across genres like Detroit techno, ambient, and Italo disco for these bass-lined numbers that hover between pop, funk and soul. A MacGyver move, right there. Apparently Smith approached these songs with the ambition and precision of a mad scientist, piling layer upon layer only to strip it down and start again. It was a search for that perfect chemistry, steered by some distant thought or experience he held onto for inspiration.

Take the track "Even If You Try," which was apparently crafted with Smith’s guiding mantra, “Make something like Arthur Russell.” The Introverted Dancefloor interpretation definitely hangs on to this style of remote vocals and fuzzy ambiance, which gives the introduction a kind of space-age quality before dropping the bass line. Then there’s "Happiness is Such a Mess," the first single off the EP, whose foreboding lyrics you’ll be humming under your breath, “If you ever feel unhappy, don’t forget things are bound to change, not that change is such a good thing…” Apparently, Smith had the chords to that song mulling around in his head for years, trying to find the lyrics that matched. The track (along with its offshoot "Pipedream") were also driven by that Morgan Geist/Metro Area sound, which can best be described as the offspring of house and disco revival.

Another ditty to dive into is one I’m sure we’ll find bittersweet as we start rolling into fall, "Giving Up On Summer." The skeleton of the song was written in an almost euphoric state Smith had one afternoon, knowing he wanted the lyrics to be a foil to B-52’s "Summer of Love." (Hint: some flings can’t withstand the equinox). When giving an overhead description for the EP, perhaps Carpark Records described his sound best as “playing the line between fluid melody and drum machine programming.” Smith isn't afraid to cut elements from his prior songs and paste them into tracks further along the album, giving listeners a sense of deja-vu—a kind of deja-vu that has a touch of melancholy, but just a touch.