This Summer, NO HOT ASHES will bravely go where no band from the city has gone before. Brace for impact, here comes…
‘HARDSHIP STARSHIP’
Ratifying the long-rumoured conspiracy theories of an incoming release, official sources (Modern Sky UK) are pleased to confirm the band’s extra-terrestrial debut outing will land on 16th August 2019.
Making contact with an out-of this world first cut, the good ship NHA offer us a glimpse of their brave new horizons with leading single: “W.Y.N.A.”
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A close encounter of the Northern kind, “W.Y.N.A” (or When You’re Not Around) finds the four-piece examining the abnormal, yet predictable complexities of human relationships.Once almost jettisoned from the band’s catalogue altogether, but re-visited, re-purposed, and electrified with space-age synth bleeps and rocket-fueled guitar riffs; the result is one supernova comeback single.
Speaking about the track, NHA front-man Isaac Taylor says:
“”W.Y.N.A.” is a song about kicking off with loved ones, sleep deprivation and the cyclical nature of relationships. Originally this song was written as a slow acoustic track I thought would never come to light but we were stuck for ideas one day in the practice room and tried it. Glad we did.”
As its title would suggest, these aren’t the only star-gazing moments to be found on upcoming album ‘Hardship Starship’. Launching into the record with “Extra Terrestrial”, the band take us intergalactic from the moment go, with dark-matter dense basslines, choruses designed to be shouted to the heavens and lyrics inspired by that telepathic connection you feel when you meet the one you love. ‘Motion Sick’ dazzles with the reflective sheen of astronaut’s vizor; a track about loneliness of too much “space-cruising” away from your loved ones. “Paradise/Overdrive” makes the jump from the light-speed powered side one of the album to land with a slower, weightless proposition propelled by smooth jazz chord arrangements and an elating chorus about getting high. Astronomically, speaking.
Elsewhere the ‘Hardship Starship’ docks to observe a desolate, conflict ravaged, post-apocalyptic land, known to local inhabitants as… The United Kingdom. With his typical down-to-earth wit and charm, chief lyricist Isaac Taylor here addresses the economic inequality felt across the nation (’CAR’), ‘Trouble’ nods to violent crime and desperation, whereas ‘Indecision/Intermission’ provides an implosive big bang moment about Brexit and broken Britain; with ex-Imperial overlord David Cameron even making a “Guest Appearance” on the lattermost track.
‘Hardship Starship’ judders to a close with ‘Hey Casanova’, one of the band’s biggest sing-along moments to date with an accelerating drumbeat and sky scraping indie riffage setting a course for the stars with trailblazing style.
“This whole song is a fat riff with a fat ending.” Says Taylor on “Hey Casanova” , “We wanted to write something more in the style of the bands we grew up listening to and out came Hey Casanova. It’s a hard hitting song which ends with a huge guitar line and a tempo increase for good measure.”
‘Hardship Starship’ was produced by Chris Taylor (The Coral, Everything Everything, Ian Brown, Bill Ryder Jones) at Parr Street studios in Liverpool whom the band met in early 2018 whilst in the thick of demos and writing for the upcoming debut album, they formed an instant connection with Chris which can be felt throughout the whole record. It will be released on Modern Sky UK on 16th August 2019.
Another formidable talent to emerge from Stockport, Greater Manchester in recent times, No Hot Ashes have been making waves around the North-West and beyond for the last few years. With a string of infectious singles in their repertoire including ‘Easy Peeler’, ‘Bellyaches’, and ‘Eight Till Late’, the band have received continued support across radio from the likes of BBC 6 Music and Radio X. Soaking up major support slots with the likes of Blossoms, Spring King, The Amazons and Pridesaround the UK, not to mention major festival appearances at the likes of Y NOT Festival, Isle of Wight and Kendal Calling, the band have already amassed over 3.5 million plays on Spotify. Word is spreading fast, so much so that the band were even asked to perform on hit BBC series ‘The A-Word’, Which was aired in the UK on BBC 1 and globally.
Following a landmark SOLD-OUT show at the 950 capacity Manchester Academy 2 last year (which sold out over a month before the show date) and recent sell out at Manchester’s AATMA (in which 150 tickets sold out in under 10 minutes), fans will have the chance to catch the band again in 2019 as they prepare for a spate of new UK dates and festival shows including Live At Leeds Festival and Liverpool Sound City (4 May) and the Neighbourhood Weekender (26 May) – full dates and details below.
TOUR DATES 2019
May
26 | Warrington, NBHD Weekender 2019
29 | Huddersfield, The Parish
31 | Southampton, Heartbreakers
June
01 | London, Thousand Island
07 | Banbury, Also Known As
08 | Newcastle (Tynemouth), Surf Café
August
02 | Leicestershire, 110 Above Festival
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HARDSHIP STARSHIP
Album Tracklisting
- Extra Terrestrial
- CAR
- Trouble
- Salbutamol
- Bellyaches
- Motion Sick
- Indecision/Intermission
- ISH-KA
- Paradise/Overdrive
- W.Y.N.A
- Hey Casanova