Hans Pucket. Photo credit: Samuel Austin
Despite the title, the song has absolutely no shortage of spectacles with string and horn sections, a multitude of dynamics, operatic backing vocals and ripping guitar shreds. Singing about the dense, overwhelming nature of unhappiness in the online sphere must not be easy whilst still keeping a tune feeling playful and peppy, but Hans Pucket do so with ease.
"This song is about social anxiety and being surrounded by very unhappy people on the internet," frontman Oliver Devlin explains. "Sometimes, of course, very rightfully hurt people are dealing with their experiences of injustice, inequality or trauma. I think part of the song is being overwhelmed by all of this, the desire to bury my head in the sand and the fear of who I could become if I did switch off from it all".
In contrast, the music video, directed by Sports Team's Annabel Kean, is perfectly picturesque, capturing leafy scenes from around Tāmaki Makaurau which the band members peacefully settle themselves into.
Their album No Drama arrives on November 4th via Carpark Records. You can pre-order it via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
Watch the video below.
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