IT IT ANITA – HI HI HA HA
Release Date: 30th January 2026
Label: Vicious Circle and Luik Music
Bandcamp
Genre: Ménage à trois, Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, Waffle-Core.
FFO: IDLES, Fugazi, Mclusky, Sonic Youth, Pavement.
Review By: John Newlands
Belgian noise‑rock outfit IT IT ANITA, founded in Liège in 2012 by Michael Goffard and Damien Aresta before being joined by Elliot Stassen and Bryan Hayart, have been steadily carving out their place in Europe’s underground rock scene since their formation. With extensive touring across Europe and North America, they’ve earned a reputation (so the internet tells me) for cathartic, high‑volume and high energy performances. Their fifth studio work HI HI HA HA (now as a trio after the departure of Damien Aresta) is released on January 30th via Vicious Circle and Luik Music, and captures that live intensity with sharp focus and surprising depth.
Coming into this record having never heard the band before, what immediately stands out is what feels like a social charge running through their music. There’s a sense of social commentary, sometimes raw and sometimes playful, that gives the album an edge beyond its riffs. The band approach their themes with a wry humour, adding personality to the songs.
Musically, there are clear echoes of Sonic Youth, especially in the noisier, more textural passages. On tracks like Social Dodger, the influence shifts closer to post‑hardcore giants Fugazi. This track could almost pass for a lost B‑side from The Argument era. There’s also something about the vocal delivery (a sharp, ironic, almost taunting and argumentative) that recalls Andrew Falkous of Mclusky and Future of the Left. At several points the band feels like they’re channeling the chaotic wit of those groups, filtered through their own Belgian sensibilities.
Elsewhere, touches of Torche and Baroness creep into the heavier, more melodic moments. Combined with jagged, staccato guitar lines that occasionally drift toward math‑rock territory, HI HI HA HA becomes an album operating across multiple noisy, angular rock traditions without ever sounding unfocused.
The production deserves mention. It’s massive! Letting the trio sound unhinged when they want to explode or stray off the path, yet able to pull everything back together for moments of clarity and precision. This dynamic range gives the album a sense of drama and momentum, keeping it engaging throughout.
Among the highlights, Modern Architecture and Cassowary stand out as some of the band’s strongest material on HI HI HA HA. The closer, OverUnder, stretches out and gives the group space to explore a darker, more brooding side. It’s progressive, weightier than much of the record, and a satisfying way to wrap up the album.
Overall, HI HI HA HA is a solid, highly enjoyable release. It may not totally re-invent the noise‑rock wheel, but it doesn’t need to. The performances and songwriting confident, and the personality unmistakable. It’s an album I can see myself returning to in the future, and one I’d easily recommend to fans of the genre or anyone who likes their rock loud, clever, and just a little unhinged.
(4 / 5)
