Review | HotWax – Invite Me, Kindly EP

Label: Marathon Artists

The alt-rock trio from Hastings are back with their second EP, ‘Invite Me, Kindly‘, following the release of their debut EP earlier this year.

Kicking things off with ‘High Tea‘, the band lean into their grunge sound with ricocheting guitar riffs and singer-guitarist Tallulah Sim-Savage’s roaring vocals.

However, the bass line running through it gives the track a groovy beat, as the song slows down before ratcheting up again, giving Sim-Savage, bassist Lola Sam and drummer Alfie Sayers the space to shine.

‘Phone Machine‘ feels more robotic than groovy as the song refers to a friend who has no one to call but you. The guitar sounds pulsate throughout, creating a mirrored sound of phones and computers which give the track a dated feel, taking us back to the distorted grunge sounds of the 90s.

The following track, ‘Drop‘ is probably the most ferocious track on the EP. Coming at just over 2 minutes, the band don’t waste a single second as they fill the track with intense sound. Although Sim-Savage’s guitar is what draws you into the track, it’s Sayer’s drum skills which keep you there; her skill and power are all over this track.

‘E Flat‘ feels more alt-rock than punk, a track about wanting time to yourself after an intense relationship. The repetitive lyrics, ‘I just wanna read a book‘, feels completely cathartic, and as the longest song on the EP, ‘E Flat‘ is an anthem in the only way HotWax know how.

Rounding out the EP is the final track, ‘She Don’t Like It‘, which puts Sim-Savage’s vocals at the forefront for the first minute before the trio’s frantic sound comes roaring to life. Ebbing and flowing, the track has a stripped-back feel (well, as stripped-back as a band like HotWax can give) which shows just how multi-faceted they are.

‘Invite Me, Kindly‘ puts HotWax in the same realm as Nova Twins and Wolf Alice. Despite not having released a full-length album yet, the trio are a rising star like no other. This might be them at their brightest.