Hauntu reimagines the Pixies’ ‘Velouria’ for ‘Debased’ tribute compilation

If you’ve been craving a fresh, gritty take on Pixies nostalgia, San Diego’s Hauntu just delivered something fierce and fantastically weird. The band has dropped a hypnotic cover of Velouria as part of ‘Debased, A Pixies Tribute,’ out May 30 via Sweet Cheetah Records — and it’s not just a song, it’s a full-on experience.

Hauntu is one of those bands that pulls you into a shadowy world and leaves you wondering what hit you. Made up of members from Luna/Warsaw, Holy Tears, The Dropscience, Fluf, and more, they first shook things up in 2024 with a limited-edition 7″ via Sell The Heart Records. Then they came back swinging in January with the searing single Crooked Teeth and shared stages with post-hardcore legends like Clikatat Ikatowi. No big deal.

Their sound? Imagine a sonic cocktail of metal, goth, and gritty garage rock, topped with vocals that somehow manage to be both raw and beautiful. There’s definitely darkness, but also hope — and a hell of a lot of passion. Think Wipers meet Hot Snakes, then run it through a reverb-drenched dream. Yeah, it’s that good.

Now they’ve turned their attention to Velouria,, one of Pixies’ most iconic tracks — and Hauntu does it justice while adding their own moody twist. Bonus: there’s a killer video to go with it.

Frontman Demetrius Antuna said he used to noodle on the song’s opening riff while dialing in guitar tone — “When it sounds mean and chunky and metallic, then I know it’s dialed.” That riff-check ritual eventually morphed into a full-on cover and, naturally, a nod to the original Velouria music video.

In true Hauntu fashion, they took that classic Peter Fowler-directed video — the one with the Pixies running and leaping across rocky terrain — and gave it a surreal spin. The result? A cosmic reimagining where the band finds themselves dropped into an otherworldly landscape. Is it Lemuria? Velouria’s home planet? Or just a chill day at the beach with a few alien abduction vibes? You decide.

“The idea is loose,” Antuna explains, “but essentially we wanted the band to suddenly appear in this strange place where the original video took place… playful innocent love, alien abduction, and the rest is left for interpretation.”

The tribute album features a stacked lineup of bands from across the U.S. (and Japan!), including Deaf Club, MK Naomi, Toilet Rats, Oh Condor, FVRMN, Holy Hands, Kill Surf City, Chris Broach, and Palm Ghosts. It was mastered by the legendary Dan Coutant (Coliseum, Iron Chic), with cover art by Evil Jay (Boris, Dead Milkmen).

And the best part? Debased is more than just a great listen — 100% of proceeds from the album go to Border Angels, a nonprofit that advocates for migrants and refugees through love, education, and direct action. Good music, good cause.

So cue up Hauntu’s Velouria, fall into their warped little world, and support something that matters.

Pixies fans, prepare to be haunted — in the best way.