“Burn the Witch” by herbie the rabbit

“Burn the Witch” arrives with a deceptively catchy surface and a much darker question underneath it: what happens when a crowd stops thinking for itself? The debut solo single from herbie the rabbit, the project of Dan Marsh, takes aim at conformity, collective blame and the unsettling ease with which people can accept a version of events without questioning who constructed it. Its central image is deliberately uncomfortable—a crowd watching a neighbour being condemned while everyone silently participates—and the song uses that scenario to examine the space between knowing, believing and simply following. The lyrics challenge the listener to consider how much responsibility belongs to the individual when misinformation, fear or social pressure shapes a decision. Rather than turning the subject into a heavy-handed lecture, Marsh approaches it with sardonic humour and an almost casual delivery, making the underlying message more disturbing precisely because the song remains so approachable. The reference to Lilith, presented through the cover artwork inspired by Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Lady Lilith, adds another layer to the concept. Her story of defiance, forbidden knowledge and punishment becomes a fitting symbol for a song concerned with what happens when questioning the accepted story makes someone a target.

Musically, “Burn the Witch” thrives on that contrast between its accessible character and its darker subject matter. There is something immediately memorable about the song, but beneath the catchy quality sits an atmosphere of unease that gradually reveals itself. Marsh’s writing has a strong narrative quality, turning abstract ideas about conformity and responsibility into a recognisable human situation. The song’s questions linger because they do not provide an easy escape for the listener: if someone accepts a false story because everyone else believes it, where does personal responsibility begin? The track also marks a significant creative step for Marsh, who previously fronted Ubiquity Machine and now steps forward without the protection of a band around him. That change gives the project an intimate quality, particularly as the wider herbie the rabbit material draws from Marsh’s lived experiences and transforms difficult internal territory into character studies and folk-tale-like narratives. Producer Jordan Lawlor of M83 brings another important dimension to the recording, helping shape the song’s unsettled atmosphere without burying the writing beneath the production. The result is a track where the sonic presentation and subject matter continually reinforce each other.

“Burn the Witch” works particularly well because its anger is controlled rather than explosive. There is a quiet menace running through it, but also a sense of irony that keeps the song from becoming predictable. Marsh is interested in the uncomfortable grey areas between obedience, truth, fear and responsibility, and the song leaves those questions hanging rather than resolving them neatly. As the first release from herbie the rabbit’s planned run of singles and forthcoming album, it introduces an artist willing to turn complicated psychological and social themes into sharp, memorable songs. “Burn the Witch” ultimately asks listeners to look beyond the safety of the crowd and examine the stories they accept, the assumptions they inherit and the moments when choosing not to question becomes a choice in itself. It is catchy enough to draw you in, but its real impact comes when the meaning starts to sink in.