The three piece from Wellington, New Zealand, Hans Pucket are musical shapeshifters, colorful and sundry in their sound. Comprising of brothers Oliver and Callum Devlin on vox/guitars and bass respectively, with Jonathan Nott sitting behind the drums. Their new EP, Jalapeno is a collection of songs that rarely has any downer or dull spots.

The title track opener breathes heavy of the playful yet tensed up sound of the post-rock practitioners, Battles. Jolts of eccentric tropical bites, the trio’s vandalized guitar riffs and strolling drum grooves are splashes of ornate fun. Garnished with simple pop arrangements, the whimsical “Stranger” is filled with easy going harmonies. Dealing with being the obvious outsider, Oliver Devlin’s lackadaisical demeanor hints that he couldn’t care less about trivial events of life (“if life’s a nuisance, embrace your accidents / lose your attitude and you’ll lose your baggage”).

Replete with power pop riffs, the radiating instrumentation on “Feelings” juxtapose the somber lyrics of feeling out of place (“and I’m growing uncomfortable / I wasn’t made for this environment”). On “Illest,” the band briefly shies away from their perky garage rock and cool off for more somber psychedelics. Warped with all sorts of nostalgia, Devlin tries to externalize his feelings over the soft-hued psych-rock collage. The albums outro, “Summer” is a feathery love ballad that feels like it’s the only way to cap off the jumpy and dynamic record.

Cereal Pairing: Fruit Loops

https://soundcloud.com/olidevlin/sets/jalapeno