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San Francisco indie trio Hot Flash Heat Wave is back with their latest single, “Bay Boys.” The track is a deep and new wave-inspired pop-rock work fueled by jangly guitar riffs and captivating synth lines that backdrop a song that explores and reflects on unfulfillment and personal existential struggles. It serves as their last release before their new album  Sportswear, set to release March 11.

According to the band, “Bay Boys” is a biker gang allegory that tells the story of a wandering character who’s always seeking escape. In the pre-chorus, the protagonist’s conscience tells him he’s unfulfilled, but he’s idealized this life on the road and just keeps on running away. It’s a dark story that takes inspiration from '80s romance narratives, modern indie bedroom pop, and more.  

“The story of the song was very much inspired by Octavia Butler’s Parable series and the Berserk manga by Kentaro Miura,” says the band. “Both stories have a bleak and sobering yet beautifully detailed and meaningful quality. I weaved together this story with that quality in mind, of this character living his romantic ideal on the fringes of society. Ours is meant to be a bit ironic though, which sets it apart from its inspirations.”

“Lyrically, the album is more varied,” continues the band,“ with some songs detailing personal struggles and experiences, as well as a few that narrate stories ranging from dark to existential and euphoric.” This dauntless yet disenchanted spirit is especially evident in lyrics like, “Light it up and watch it burn,” and “Fear like a phantom / Running from your shadow / But it seeps in like a venom / The dream you live is hollow.”

The band’s long-awaited album,  Sportswear,  will show how much the band has continued to grow since their last EP, Mood Ring. Elaborating on the sounds and lyrical styles they developed on Mood Ring and adding some touches of sounds from their 2015 album Neapolitan, the new record will explore new territory for the band.  

“It was definitely hard to write through the wild uncertainty and social unrest that the pandemic and the last couple of years have brought into our lives. I think it slowed down the writing process a bit, but through perseverance and togetherness, we were able to make the best we could in our isolation and finish this collection of songs. I also feel that the heaviness of the world found its way into the themes we wrote about on the record - it felt important to write songs that speak to these difficult times.”

Listen to  "Bay Boys" below: