Witch Hats

Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, the mysterious Witch Hats coalesced in the middle of the 2000s, with 2005 cited by most accounts as the formation year. Their material pulls sonic ideas from each of the four preceding decades, shaping a sinister mixture of post-punk, indie, noise, goth, and garage rock that carries an undercurrent of sly pop appeal. The Birthday Party registers as the most conspicuous influence, prompting its onetime drummer Phill Calvert to contribute to the band’s first EP, Wounds of a Little Horse, issued in November 2006 on In-Fidelity Records. After commencing live activity, the founding lineup of Kris Buscombe on vocals and guitar, Tomas P. Barry on guitar, and Ash Buscombe on bass was augmented by drummer Duncan Blanchford; this configuration, having delivered consistently powerful performances to Australian crowds throughout the following year, laid down the group’s debut full-length, Cellulite Soul, in 2008.