Harriette Pilbeam, widely known as Hatchie, is a Brisbane-born act, having made the rounds in 2018 with her first EP, Sugar & Spice. The tracks featured on it quickly made their way into a variety of dreampop playlists.
Although the coronavirus pandemic took a hard blow on many small acts, Hatchie being no exception, Pilbeam quickly bounced back from this with her sophomore album Giving the World Away, created in collaboration with her husband and guitarist Joe Agius. She seems to have actualised her sound, with previous releases such as ‘Quicksand’, ‘Nosedive’, and now ‘Rooftops’, showing unparalleled versatility in style.
‘Rooftops’ opens with a brief drum beat, reminiscent of ‘The Rhythm’, from Giving the World Away, which comes in with explosive synthesisers that make the heart race with excitement. Whereas, ‘Rooftops’ enters with twangy guitars exuding a dreamy calmness. Choir-like vocals have become her trademark, yet she keeps it fresh each time — this track is a testament to that.
On the other hand, Liam Benzvi’s voice complements Pilbeam’s, with his deep vocal embellishments creating vibrance with her higher harmonies. His creative input in ‘Rooftops’ is evident, seeing that it is similar to ‘Hiccup’ from his album Acts of Service.
Pilbeam opens with heartening lyrics easy to resonate with, singing “I watch the sunset melt from the rooftop / Smile as the clouds roll over the sea,” taking listeners into her world. The song is about love, a topic she has previously touched on, but has not approached from this angle. The lyrics seem to be pulled from an individual memory that is collectively shared; carefree love in a quaint setting.
She has perfected her recipe: the layering of repetitive subtleties that increase toward the end of the song, ultimately concluding in a punchy riff or a catchy outro. This, merged with her technical vocals and thoughtful lyricism, creates a song that is memorable.
‘Rooftops’ is a song utilising an otherworldly sound that is in stark contrast to the beautiful mundanity it speaks of. With a fully-realised sound and a plethora of melodious tracks under her belt, Hatchie’s vision has never been clearer.
Words by: Marinel Dizon
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.