HOTT MT - AT NIGHT IN CHINATOWN
If you are looking for a song that will take you on a slow, yet thrilling ride, go ahead and give At Night in Chinatown a listen. Though, if you are anything like me, you will give it closer to 20 listens. I was so immediately sucked into the story this song tells that there very well may have been a five car pile up in my rear view mirror as I swayed along to it. We will never know.
It starts off with a mix of subtle electronic sounds, which lead in to echoing, smooth guitar that seems to gently bounce off the walls of wherever you might be. As soon as the creamy, ethereal vocals came in, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The singer's voice perfectly matches the dreamy mood of the track and has a somewhat desperate, yet sweet undertone. As the music flows on, I felt as if I was waiting for something. Not that what I was hearing right then was not satisfying enough, but I could tell that something else was coming. As if I were gazing out over a beautifully green and gloomy valley, waiting for a very intense, yet seemingly wonderful storm. Suddenly, a crash of sorts, sounding as if an amp or instrument is malfunctioning chimes in and gives you a sort of uneasy feeling, in the best way. Then, the deep guitar you have been waiting for fills in the cracks. The vocals take a bit of an angtsy turn as she sings "Do what you wish, follow your bliss." You can genuinely feel the meaning of these passive aggressive lyrics as she seems to almost moan the words.
Whatever inspired this song is very real, and you are now a part of it. Since I discovered this song I have listened to it in the shower, in the car, whilst cleaning, and each time and place has been as great as the last. This is one of those songs that is somehow somber and filled with bliss and hope at the same time. Often times, I will recommend a certain song based on very niche tastes that only few will absolutely love. This one, however, I recommend to all. It has all the makings of a spectacular song, as previously indicated, for any time or place. But, don't mistake my obsession with this track in particular for that of a one-hit-wonder.
Transforming, I'll Never Hate Again, Queen of Shapes - the list of great songs by these guys goes on and on. Hour of the Time Majesty Twelve, otherwise known as HOTT MT, recently released the album titled AU (Alternative Universe) It is everything I've been looking for, and features At Night in Chinatown. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of background information on the band themselves. They sprouted up from LA, they stalked Wayne Coyne, and the two members are in fact a couple. That's about all I've been able to find. Luckily, they will be playing a show at Urban Lounge on December 10th in my local town of Salt Lake City. While I will be plenty thrilled to simply hear their music live, maybe I can steal them for a few words and share more of their mysterious story. Stay tuned!
*Update: HOTT MT is a must see! The two members hung out in the crowd all night, watching and cheering the opening bands on, and enjoying some local beers. When it was time for them to go on, they set up the stage with a seemingly home-made contraption to project a creative video of a robot playing the keyboard behind them. They followed the Renaissance theme of their new album with their apparel and feel of the stage. The chemistry between the two is simply adorable. Though, it was a fairly short set, I am so glad I made it. After their set, Spooki gathered their equipment as Ashi headed over to man the merch table. I was able to exchange a few words with her as I browsed. She was as sweet and beautiful as her voice. She thanked me for coming out on a Sunday night and helped me decide between one of their awesome embroidered shirts or a special edition copy of AU on vinyl. I went with the vinyl, but I will likely reach out to get a shirt as well.