Miles Davis once said “Don't play what's there, play what's not there.” Should the jazz legend ever have wished to back up this statement, a copy of Pig Dip would have provided the perfect example. Al Hotchkiss has created an EP so deceptively subtle that only after a few listens can one fully appreciate the delicate intricacies of this stunning homemade debut. From the softly melancholic opener ‘Dead Man’, the listener is lifted on a journey which can feel at once morose, cheerful or simply comfortable. Stand-out tracks include 'Good Leader', a tune which feels like a homecoming warm, familiar and joyful. The country guitars and youthful vocals of 'Too Much More' have a pleasant touch while the closing track, ‘Lay Beside Me’ carries power through the gentlest of chords.With influences ranging from Leadbelly, Skip James and Neil Young, Hotchkiss has fused genres like folk, country, blues, rockabilly, surf and psychedelia to create a unique acoustic EP which emphasis is on playing from the heart rather than over production.