Hatcham Social

Hatcham Social ripped a hole in the reality force field of Fair Isle knitted sweaters, when in New Cross, in 2006 - so the story goes - David Fineberg made the acquaintance of brothers Tobias and Finnigan Kidd (ex-Klaxons).

The threesome hit it off, nurturing a mutual passion for the Beach Boys and Postcard Records. Their self-recorded debut 7" single 'Dance as If...' was released on WaKs Records. Faris Badwan (The Horrors), who later went on to produce the band’s third single ('So So Happy Making' on Loog/Waks), created artwork for the band's second release, the cheekily-named 'How Soon Was Then?' (PopGrooves) and double A-Side 'Til The Dawn' and 'Penelope (Under My Hat)'. These tracks were produced by fan of the band Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), as was the band's debut album, March 2009’s raw, sparkling 'You Dig The Tunnel I'll Hide The Soil' (Fierce Panda).

Influences are as diverse as Orange Juice and Josef K, The Smiths and The Jesus & Mary Chain, to story books and children’s literature (in 2008 the band performed their version of the Lewis Carroll poem Jabberwocky at the 100 Club, alongside performing arts group SKIPtheatre).

‘Carefree and irresistibly catchy' (Dazed and Confused)

'A wonderful, life-affirming record' (Artrocker Magazine)

'Twee-tastic basement recorded pop shouldn't be starting a south London revolution, but it is' (NME)

'One of the best things we've heard all year' (Vice)

‘A spiky, sparky collection of itching pop tunes which hark back to a time of musical innocence … charmingly jagged old school alternative’ (Drowned in Sound)