HotWax are a band set on experiencing life at its most intense. In the past two years, the Hastings-via-Brighton trio – comprising Tallulah Sim-Savage (vocals/guitar), Lola Sam (bass) and Alfie Sayers (drums) – have toured the world over, clocking up over 150 dates, including shows with Royal Blood and Frank Carter, and major festival appearances at Reading & Leeds and All Points East.
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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’ energy of a HotWax show. The band worked with an all-female production team, Catherine Marks (Boygenius, Wolf Alice) and Steph Marziano (Hayley Williams, Let’s Eat Grandma), as well as additional recording with Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint in Joshua Tree, California.
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 UK’s next big crossover rock act – and beyond.
