Black Hats – Witness To Everything (2026)
It has been nearly six years since Oxford outfit Black Hats’ last EP, Bad News Telephone, and they have not held back, jumping straight back in with punk-driven indie track ‘Witness to Everything’, bringing back a nostalgic classic sound in a contemporary package.
As the guitars kick in, the vibe is instant, joyous indie with a hidden darkness. This groove-loaded track holds to their self-proclaimed reggae-infused bass lines and skittering drum beats. It is foot-tapping perfection and has you singing along almost instantly with its hook-laden chorus. I’m still finding myself breaking out into “and all we want” weeks after first hearing it. I found Black Hats to be reminiscent of the late 2000’s post-indie sleaze era with a sprinkling of Britpop influence, which is a perfect melting pot for success.
With ‘Witness to Everything’, Nick, Mark and Budd have come together and produced something that, for me, is the perfect way to kick off 2026. Their musical and songwriting acumen is there for all to see, with almost poetic lyrics, and when paired with such a complementary melody, there is no way it can fail.
It is clear that the experience they’ve gained over the past almost 15 years has helped shape such a complete package, having worked with Grammy-nominated producer Sam Williams, made numerous festival appearances such as Wychwood Festival and Truck Festival and supported great bands such as Reef, Dodgy and Stornoway. It truly is the sign of a great band when everything they do is better than last, and they use their experiences to build a more complete sound. Having gone back and listened to everything they’ve put out there, I can attest this is definitely the case with Black Hats and long may it continue.
With a handful of shows planned for 2026 across southern England and their recent appearance on BBC Introducing on BBC Oxford & Berkshire, they’re already set for a busy year. ‘Witness to Everything’ has got me eager to see what Black Hats have in store this year, so here’s hoping for some more new music and that they’ll venture further north on their travels.
For a real treat, check out Black Hats perform ‘Witness To Everything’ at Childreyfest 2025 in their live performance video on YouTube. You can view the video below and/or on their YouTube channel.
Find out more about Black Hats on their official website, Facebook, X, Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Gets Louder PR.
Listen to some Britpop music on The Other Side Reviews Britpop playlist:
