STREAM: Hotlane – The EP
Exploding onto Gomma this summer with their first release is the slow house/indie-pop duo from Berlin, Hotlane. Their sound is often described as a mixture of America’s best italo-disco/synth-pop outlet (Italians Do It Better, of course), Portishead and Nicolas Jaar. These are some pretty big boots to fill, but this comparison comes up pretty accurate as they show off their style in their 5-track EP released just this week.
The duo, Agnes Linn and Jack Tennis, met in Berlin a few years ago. She came because of a modelling job, stayed because of a love thing and used to work at legendary Broken Hearts Club – where Jack was djing. Being no stranger to the scene, Jack makes his living by playing vinyl at some of Berlin’s hottest underground clubs like Kingsize, Konzulat and Ritter Butzke. The five songs on this release have been recorded over the last 3 years and are truly something special.
Kicking off the release is ‘My Favourite Habit‘, a track where the playful bass and percussion from Jack combine perfectly with the melancholy of Agnes voice to produce a slow summer groove. ‘We’re Online‘ has more attitude than the opening track, bringing in keys and sweeping synths to give it an authentic italo-disco feel. Following up is the beach-ready cut ‘Whenever‘. Hotlane bring in guitar licks and an almost balaeric bass to give off a sound more similair to Tiger & Woods.
Agnes’ vocals are shown off most in ‘On My Own‘, where her whispering and pensive Scandanavian voice is the standout element. Closing off the EP, the duo slow things way down with ‘Dirt on The Sidetracks‘. Jack brings in a raw bass that is countered by the sweeping atmospherics, piano lines and, of course, the stunning voice of Agnes.
It’s easy to fall in love with this first release from Hotlane on Gomma, this is a true work of passion. As we approach summer we’d consider this release pretty much essential listening to go along with those long sun-drenched evenings.