Keepsake contains nihilism and optimism at once. This tender, overwhelming pop music has a way of feeling like the soundtrack to the end of the world.
It’s a fitting name for an album that captures the exact moment she became a special artist. That feeling should be something to treasure, just like this incredible record itself.
Keepsake has an inexplicable familiarity even as it bursts with new ideas. It is a document capable of throwing us into our own pasts, the perfect score for the movies we make in our minds.
It is through this searching and continual movement that Hatchie etches her own lines to define her persona through her music, constantly propelling herself and her ideas in new directions and trusting that we’ll keep up.
Bold, bigger, musically more confident while lyrically looking ever more inward, it’s the sound of the songwriter truly coming into her own.
Keepsake marks an assertive, confident step forward for Hatchie and Pilbeam is well on her way to carving out her own storied path.
At some point, you’ll wonder if it was Hatchie’s heartache and pain that was written about, or your own.
As Hatchie exceeds the expectations set by Sugar & Spice, Keepsake reflects her growth into an even more confident and varied artist.
Keepsake feels a bit more akin to a tentative step forward than a leap into the stratosphere, but for a debut it's stuffed with endless charm and promise.
When everything clicks, Keepsake is at times brilliant. Its best songs are among the best indie pop produced this year and will likely take up residence in your head for weeks on end after listening to them.
Hatchie's platonic ideal of dream pop goes down a bit too easy, like another rewatch of a John Hughes film.
It’s clear Pilbeam knows how to set a mood, expertly layering wistful sounds against her feather-light voice, without one ever overpowering the other. Individually, the songs are absorbing, but when listened back to back, they begin to lose their magic.
The debut full-length release for Australian dream pop artist Harriette Pilbeam, that goes after the name Hatchie (given by her mom), features her cover art with versions of herself moving away from her body, in various hues of blue, encompassing her own brand of sound borrowed from a era long gone, giving it a refreshing twist and lyrical depth. With the release of her extended play Sugar & Spice, inspired by her first adult relationship, a silken collection of soaring pop confections, ... read more
ORIGINAL SCORE: 94
So, the album announced in February, which I was looking forward to, finally came out.
Hatchie is surely becoming new dream-pop idol of this generation, because «Keepsake» reflects ideology of our time and causes a feeling of nostalgia.
The album starts almost perfect with the opening «Not That Kind», which defines the mood of the whole record. And the last song «Keep» also ends the album in the best traditions — on notes of sadness ... read more
1) Not that Kind: 6.8 (EDIT 7.5 really grew on me)
• Reverb central
• Nice delay on vocals
• Sweet chorus
• Overall delicate and lush intro, doesn’t push boundaries but is a decent stand-alone track
2) Without a Blush: 6.5
• Similar haziness to the sound of the first track
• Bittersweet lyrics about longing and regret
• Dream pop equivalent to something Chvrches might do
• Nothing too special about it but again it’s a nice tune that I ... read more
Compared to her 2022 album, there's a serious lack of memorability here.
Nonetheless, there are some highlights, but nothing as impressive as what was to come
Fav Songs: Without a Blush, Obsessed, Secret, idk what else
Ngl the production and creative decisions Hatchie made are the best part of this record. I really like this album’s sound and how it feels like the cold night after a hot day in summer. Neon Cowgirl is like a real definition of the vibe of Keepsake. She used some guitars and synths that made her naive country sounds shoegaze and dreampop. But lyrics and especially songs composition are something that made my grade lower. Maybe I just don’t get it, but that’s a good declaration ... read more
1 | Not That Kind 3:50 | 85 |
2 | Without a Blush 4:58 | 90 |
3 | Her Own Heart 3:55 | 82 |
4 | Obsessed 5:13 | 83 |
5 | Unwanted Guest 4:56 | 90 |
6 | Secret 4:04 | 85 |
7 | Kiss the Stars 4:11 | 82 |
8 | Stay With Me 4:55 | 90 |
9 | When I Get Out 4:33 | 81 |
10 | Keep 4:37 | 83 |
#7 | / | God Is In The TV |
#8 | / | Under the Radar |
#25 | / | Bandcamp Daily |
#27 | / | PopMatters |
#48 | / | Consequence of Sound |