Hot Flash Heat Wave’s excellent tunes make me want to sit on a beach somewhere in California. These four, San Francisco-based early twenty-somethings craft a laid-back blend of power-pop and surf-rock that manages a bunch of punchy hooks despite the relaxed exterior. Like a clearer and more melodic Wavves, Hot Flash Heat Wave capture sunshine and good times in their instantly enjoyable sound. “We are out to have a good time and we try not to take life too seriously,” they write. “We want to create music that is an expression of our lives that others can relate to.” On a Friday afternoon, these feel-good sentiments wrapped in melodic power-pop/rock goodness is a perfect appetizer to a great weekend.
The band’s eponymous EP, available below and on Bandcamp, is six tracks of fun. There’s a lot to love, especially “Rum Runner”, which has a swirling psychedelic touch that intertwines with surf-rock vocal harmonies. It reminds me of the best tracks on Rooney’s summer-friendly debut. Another fantastic track is “Turning Blue”, which touts a youthful bite in lines like “They keep laughing at me / I don’t need them because I’m moving to the sea.” Outcast surfers’ anthem, perhaps. “Turning Blue” moves swiftly into a gorgeous chorus where surf-pop harmonies collide with the vigorous bass line and twangy guitars. It’s a fantastic effort that many will love on the first listen. Hot Flash Heat Wave’s EP is one of the catchiest things I’ve heard this year; check it out below:
