The UK’s most hotly-tipped independent band of 2024 HotWax announce details of their debut album ‘Hot Shock’, out March 7th via Marathon Artists. The album announcement is accompanied by the album’s lead single and album opener ‘She’s Got A Problem’, a motoring barrage of grunge rock that has become a mainstay of the band’s live set over a packed summer of touring and festivals and was premiered by Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music last night. HotWax will also play a string of instore shows in March to celebrate the album release – pre-order the album to secure a ticket. Full live dates including with The Libertines at Camden Roundhouse below.
HotWax’s debut album follows the release of two critically acclaimed 2023 EPs that launched the touring Hastings trio to ever bigger stages, playing over 150 blistering live shows in the past 18 months alone including Reading + Leeds, Mad Cool, All Points East, Download, support tours with Royal Blood, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Deap Vally and more. It’s the band’s incredible stagecraft and seemingly limitless energy that caught the attention of producer Catherine Marks (Boygenius, Wolf Alice) at Third Man Records’ Blue Basement last summer; “It was the sweatiest gig we have ever done – it was really, really packed,” explains singer Tallulah Sim-Savage “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.’”
The band went on to build an all-female team to record ‘Hot Shock’, with Marks co-producing alongside Steph Marziano (Picture Parlour, Cassandra Jenkins), bringing a crowd of the band’s friends into London’s legendary RAK Studios to record a live runthrough of the new record – perfectly capturing the distinct, dizzying energy of a HotWax gig. While touring the US, the band also recorded with Warpaint drummer Stella Mozgawa at her studio in Joshua Tree.
The result is an album made to be played to a crowd, loud and with abandon. But there’s also a beating pulse of vulnerability underscoring ‘Hot Shock’, 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 bassist Lola 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 drummer Alfie Sayers at music college five years later.
‘A Thousand Times’ EP lead single ‘Treasure’ reached the BBC Radio 6 Music B-List as well as a ‘Next Wave’ on BBC Radio 1, with the two EPs earning widespread support from The Sunday Times, The Independent, NME, Dork, DIY, Clash and many more. Tallulah, Lola and Alfie are ripping up the template and ripping up stages across the UK. Having only recently left school, their rarified live energy and sound has already won the support of Beck, Karen O, Courtney Love, Nova Twins, Wolf Alice, Elton John, Zane Lowe and more.
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.
‘Hot Shock’ tracklisting:
‘She’s Got A Problem’
‘Wanna Be A Doll’
‘Strange To Be Here’
‘Dress Our Love’
‘Hard Goodbye’
‘One More Reason’
‘In Her Bedroom’
‘Lights On’
‘Chip My Teeth For You’
‘Pharmacy’
Preorder/presave HERE or on the links on 3rd & 7th March dates below.
HotWax Live Dates:
October 27, Newcastle, The Grove – Exit Festival
October 29, Exeter, Phoenix (Warmduscher Support)
October 30, Frome, Cheese & Grain (Warmduscher Support)
October 31, London Roundhouse (Libertines Support)
November 1, Cambridge, Junction 1 (Warmduscher Support)
November 2, St Albans, Pioneer Club (Warmduscher Support)
November 3, Birmingham, Hare & Hounds (Warmduscher Support)
November 5, Oxford, O2 Academy (Warmduscher Support)
November 6, Leeds, Project House (Warmduscher Support)
November 7, Manchester, Ritz (Warmduscher Support)
November 8, Manchester, Albert Hall (Libertines Support)
November 9, Brighton, Mutations Fest
November 10, Swansea, Patti Pavilion (Warmduscher Support)
November 23, Edinburgh, The Paper Factory, Hidden Door Festival
November 29, London, Troxy (Warmduscher Support)
May 31 2025, Leeds, Temple Newsam Park, Kaiser Chiefs All Dayer
‘Hot Shock’ Instore Tour:
March 3, Music’s Not Dead, De La Warr Pavilion – Instore
March 7, Resident Brighton – Instore
March 8, Rough Trade Nottingham (Midday) – Instore
March 8, Rough Trade Liverpool (Evening) – Instore
March 9, Rough Trade Bristol – Instore
March 10, Vinyl Whistle Leeds – Instore
March 11, Rough Trade East – Instore
March 12, Vinilo Southampton – Instore
March 13, Truck Oxford – Instore
