London-based duo Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, comprising Malcolm Galloway (vocals, multi-instrumentalist, producer) and Mark Gatland (bass, Chapman stick, keyboards), return with a three-track EP that paves the way for their forthcoming full-length, due later in 2026. Titled “Smile, Smile, Smile EP” and released on June 23, 2026, the work serves as a precursor to the upcoming album “Parallel Lives” (out September 2026), offering an early taste of the duo’s eclectic sound, balanced between Progressive/Alt-Rock, electronics and classical influences. The EP holds three tracks: the opener, which will also feature on the full album, and two exclusive instrumental pieces that explore two distinct musical trajectories, one softer and more atmospheric, the other more experimental and eclectic. The listen opens with “Smile, Smile, Smile,” the conceptual heart of the EP, inspired by Philip K. Dick‘s novel “Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said.” The lyrics follow the fall of a celebrity, Jason Taverner, into a police state where, after being attacked with a “Callisto sponge,” he discovers he no longer exists in any official records. The track best represents the duo’s Prog/Alt-Rock side, building an atmosphere that mirrors the protagonist’s disorientation and panic (“Nobody knows who you are“). It’s no surprise this is one of Galloway‘s favourites to perform live: an engaging piece on a musical level, and an intense one in both its instrumental textures and its lyrics. Next comes “The Amber Hour,” the first of the EP’s two exclusive instrumentals (absent from the “Parallel Lives” tracklist), a more relaxed, Atmospheric composition led by a guitar with Jazzy inflections. It works as a soothing counterpoint after the intensity of the title track, wrapping the listener in a bed of keyboards over which the guitar moves through an extended solo, intense and laden with pathos, carrying the piece from start to finish. Closing the EP is “Broken Arrow,” another exclusive instrumental, which stands in sharp contrast to the previous track with a wilder, more playful sound built on interlocking guitar and synth lead lines. The piece delves into the duo’s more Experimental and technical side, threaded with hypnotic keyboard motifs that nod to the Kraut scene: a blend of influences and stylistic traits filtered through Galloway and Gatland‘s own personal vision. This EP is more than just a preview of the coming album: it’s a genuine added value for collectors, thanks to the two exclusive tracks that close out the listen. The duo’s ability to weave science-fiction and historical themes into a modern, layered production remains one of this work’s defining elements, a solid bridge between the genre’s past and future, where rich analogue textures merge with electronic solutions. For anyone looking to dive into the band’s sonic world and the new chapter ahead, a listen on Bandcamp comes highly recommended while awaiting the full-length, further enriched by the two exclusive instrumental tracks that make this EP all the more compelling. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate confirm themselves as one of the most interesting and eclectic forces on the contemporary Prog scene.
Tracklist
01. Smile, Smile, Smile (04:37)
02. The Amber Hour (02:40)
03. Broken Arrow (03:30)
Lineup
All tracks written, performed, produced and mastered by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland.