In this ‘Listed’ feature, we get to know the most radicalist up-and-coming stars through a themed list of their top musical picks.  

This time we delve into the murky world of Hotel Lux.

Named after the infamous hotel in Moscow that housed several leading Communist exiles in the early years of the Soviet Union, Pompey five-piece Hotel Lux make exactly the kind of gritty, enraged and socially-aware music one could expect from such an association.

Originally from Portsmouth, now based in London, this singular quintet draws from the legacy of 70s pub rock culture, combining spindly guitars, gin-soaked organs, lilting rhythms and the penetratingly direct lyrics of frontman Lewis Duffin in their snarling, swaggering and distinctly British sound. For such a young band they have a surprisingly developed sense of identity, incisively confronting issues of poverty, immorality and abuse, not in a sadistic or distastefully sensationalized manner, but rather in one that presents a hauntingly pertinent impression of our world at its very worst.

Thus far, they’ve only released four singles: their macabre musing on class struggle ‘Envoi’, their chilling ode to Albert Pierrepoint ‘The Last Hangman’, their barbarous exploration of child abuse ‘Daddy’, and their latest seething number ‘Berlin Wall’, but the rising fivesome have certainly (and not so quietly) made a name for themselves on the live circuit. We can personally attest to Hotel Lux’s formidable live presence having had the pleasure of catching their searing set at The Great Escape’s FIRST FIFTY mini-festival in London.

Lewis Duffin, Cam Sims, Jake Sewell, Sam Coburn and Craig Macvicar make up one of our favourite emerging bands, so we caught up with the lads to find out which up-and-coming artists are peaking their interest at the moment. Here’s what they had to say…

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1. Fontaines DC – ‘Boys in the Better Land’

Had these lot on my list to see at The Great Escape but annoyingly missed ‘em. Great tune this though, love the lyrics.



2. BODEGA - ‘How Did This Happen!?’

Some very cool nerd rock released on Parquet Courts’ ever-trusty What’s Your Rupture label.



3. Sports Team – ‘Back to the Point’

The last true bastion of The Wind-up Merchant.



4. Great Dad – ‘1000 Speedboats’

Not entirely sure how you’d describe this tune but whatever it is, it’s fucking amazing. Released on Slow Dance, a really cool little label that has released solo tracks from the likes of Asha from Sorry and Lottie from Goat Girl.



5. Phobophobes – ‘Human Baby’

My favourite track from their truly, truly underrated album.



6. Treeboy & Arc - ‘Not Yet’

Discovered these guys when we played with them in Leeds. Part of a great groups of bands up in Yorkshire right now, particularly Leeds and Hull.



7. Haze – ‘Bent Our Brothers in Arms’

The Haze lads put us on for our first ever show and I’m forever grateful. A very nostalgic tune for Lux this one.



8. Amyl and the Sniffers - ‘Balaclava Lover Boogie’

The Aussies leading the way with punk at the minute. Sounds straight out of ’77 this.



9. wych elm - ‘School Shooter’

Again a band I first discovered when playing with them, this time in Bristol. Really excited about this band.



10. Crack Cloud – ‘Graph Of Desire’

Their self-titled album is quite easily the best album I’ve heard this year.



Watch out for new music and catch Hotel Lux on tour.

-Karl Jawara