THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “HotWax are a band set on experiencing life at its most intense. In the past two years, the Hastings-via-Brighton trio — singer-guitarist Tallulah Sim-Savage, bassist Lola Sam and drummer Alfie Sayers — have toured the world, sharing bills with Royal Blood and Frank Carter, and making major festival appearances.
Out of all this comes debut album Hot Shock, a record of adrenaline-jolted anthems about abandoning fear and leaping boldly towards the future. The band recorded songs live in front of a crowd at London’s RAK Studios — perfectly capturing the distinct, dizzying explosion of colour and energy found in a HotWax show. The band worked with the female production team of Catherine Marks (Boygenius, Wolf Alice) and Steph Marziano (Hayley Williams, Let’s Eat Grandma), with additional recording handled by Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint in Joshua Tree.
Sim-Savage recalls how Marks was “instantly” drawn to working with HotWax following an intimate gig at the capital’s Blue Basement in July 2023. “It was the sweatiest gig we have ever done — it was really, really packed,” she says. “Afterwards, Catherine came up to us and said, ‘Oh my god, I need to record your album with you. I want it to sound like the energy in this room. It needs to feel like a party.’ ”
These songs were made to be played to a crowd, loud and with abandon. But there’s also a beating pulse of vulnerability underscoring the album. It’s an honest, moving sentiment sure to propel HotWax towards becoming the U.K.’s next big crossover rock act — if not beyond.
Start with the single Wanna Be A Doll. The bluesy, grunge-infused track was a mainstay of the band’s recent leg of support dates with The Libertines and Warmduscher. “This was the first song we wrote for the album; we rewrote it in so many different ways and it ended up pretty similar to the first version, which seems to be how it goes.” explains Sim-Savage; “It’s a song where I am writing about myself from someone else’s point of view, being self aware of my bad — sometimes destructive — traits.”
The title track, meanwhile, was written throughout the whirlwind of life on the road. “Touring and constantly living in the moment can be chaotic. But there’s also a feeling of knowing that the more life experience we gain, the more fearless we become” explains Sam. Although Hot Shock may traverse the unsettling terrain that comes with entering young adulthood, there’s also a sense of playful abandon that is never far behind. Childhood friends Sim-Savage and Sam have been writing together since they were 12, before the latter met Sayers at music college five years later.
Despite having been launched onto festival mainstages while still in their teens, HotWax are here for the long ride and show no signs of slowing down. In fact, Hot Shock is only the beginning.”
