Hatchie Expands Giving the World Away with Deluxe Reissue

Written by T. Tian

Australian indie pop artist Hatchie released a deluxe reissue of her critically acclaimed 2022 album Giving the World Away on April 7. Featuring four new songs, two of which preceded the reissue as singles, and one remix of an album track, the dream-pop-infused second full-length project by the 30-year-old artist now contains seventeen tracks in total and reaches 70 minutes in length.

Though often labeled as “dream pop,” Hatchie’s music strikes as a little unorthodox in comparison to her peers. Typically, the genre is a vibe; it is more about an atmospheric, immersive auditory experience than about songs with distinctive verses and choruses. Yet Hatchie’s songwriting appears catchier than it should be, and her vocals sound clear in the front, instead of buried in the background as the regular dream pop guarantees. Much as the sweetness in her voice seems to abide by the genre’s convention, it has a character here that puts her at the center of attention that refuses to merge into the instrumentation. The album cover makes a strong point, showing Hatchie gazing hopefully into the city night with a pair of wings on her back. From Beach House to DIIV, when was the last time a dream pop album featured the artist as its face? She makes it known that she is the star of this dreamy ambience. Between the band-oriented dream pop scene and the singer/songwriter-oriented indie pop scene, Giving the World Away finds Hatchie flaunting her flexibility and messing with those unspoken boundaries. 

That said, prominent influence of ’90s indie bands like Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine permeates throughout the album, constructing its foundation with a wall of noise-like synths and guitar ringing in reverbs. Opening the album is the ominous intro of “Lights On,” a modern revamped version of “Cherry-coloured Funk” with thudding sequencer basslines. Lead single “This Enchanted” hops back and forth between the light-heartedness of the piano hook lying underneath the verses and the immense depth of distortion and feedback on the chorus. The catchiest of them all, “Quicksand” serves the vibrant catchy quality of bubblegum pop. An exotic guitar riff built on a gloomy minor scale haunts the title track and defines its other-worldly presence, characterized by lyrics warning of a catastrophic ending to her relationship with someone. In consistency with the ’90s retro vibe, the bonus tracks also explored a wider variety of styles. “Nosedive,” the lead single of the reissue, is an upbeat tune that gives off a dance-punk energy. The hip-hop-flavored “Cast Aside” and the house-inspired “Dream On (Country Girl)” branch out into separate directions of the ’90s music scene while holding onto the dream pop atmosphere. “Rooftops,” as the only collaboration on the albums, is supported by beautiful duet harmonies.

While Hatchie pays tribute to dream pop/shoegaze pioneers and proves her capacity to pull off a broader range of sounds, she is on her way to finding the unique quality that sets her apart from her peers. That might still take a while, as it isn’t always easy, but in the meantime she makes pleasurable music, and her journey is definitely a fun one to watch. So dream on, country girl.