The Hot Springs Reimagine 90s Gothic Country In Debut EP

Released through kitchen-table label Hangout, The Hot Springs have mixed elements of romantic poetry, country and grunge into their debut EP.

Recorded with Andy White at Ferntree Gully studio The Growlery, the EP is a culmination of songs written by Georgia Knight and Adam Heath over the past year, as well as two tracks formed in the studio. Inspired by the likes of gothic-country flagships Neko Case and Grant Lee-Buffalo as well as elements of classic and Aussie rock, the EP showcases the band’s balance of lead saxophone (Renn Picard) and guitar (Adam Heath) alongside Louis Majiwa on bass and Cassie Kumaschow on drums, with the lyrical storytelling of Knight, whose vocals have earned comparisons to Patti Smith and Chris Isaac.

The single from the EP, ‘Shock & Happiness’, was formed in the studio where Knight used the writing space to collage words from a book of Robert Burns’ poetry found in a Wonthaggi opshop, with experiences of isolation;

‘the song comes from a sort of desolation in the natural world, and tracing emotions through the land. I was always a pretty romantic kid and really quiet through my teenage years. I spent a lot of time outdoors, so I think my writing naturally goes there quite a bit.’

Where Shock and Happiness is desperate and loud, the second track Winter Bell is intimate and soulful;

‘Winter Bell came out in one chunk. I wrote it after reading a quote from Louise Milligan about writing her book Cardinal (on the George Pell trial).’

On the influences behind the EP;

‘Cassie has great taste - she got everyone onto David Lynch style stuff like The Cactus Blossoms and gothic country revival stuff from the 90s. Renn, Louis and Adam were all experimenting with different sounds, and figuring out harmonies were a big part of it. I’d been getting right into the Righteous Brothers around when we were recording and then some of that great edgy business from the 80s/90s - I really like Echo and The Bunnymen.’

The band’s connection to it’s friends and fans through DIY backyard style releases has been central - with the recording done in Andy White’s fern tree gully studio, photography by Al Parkinson and videography by housemate Callum Goodes;

‘We live in a house of six, so everything has had different people involved. Honestly it’s just been how we've been able to afford to do things. We’re lucky to have close mates who are musos and artists of different types so there’s lots of hands on it. Andy (who produced the EP) is a friend. It’s been a bit of a labour of love from everyone’.

Core to the Hot Springs’ sound is the diverse musical background of each member. After meeting on the Melbourne gig circuit, Knight and Heath formed the beginnings of what would become the band, writing and recording at a studio in Melbourne’s North. Over time they were joined by Louis Majiwa (Heath had played guitar and bass for Louis’ solo project, MAJIWA) Cassie Kumaschow (previously of ska group Morbidly O’beat) and Renn Picard (also of folk-rock 11 piece, The Northern Folk);

‘Louis and Renn came into the band through meeting at gigs. And then in 2017 we put a personals ad out as a joke looking for a drummer. It said something like - athletic band seeks drummer for good times and gigs etc - and we met Cass in a garage in Brunswick one afternoon. It was good straight off the bat.’

With guitar-heavy folk spiking their writing style, the collaboration evolved to include elements of Aussie rock, country music and lyrical storytelling; drawing from the likes of Cash Savage, Mazzy Star and Robert Plant, and more recently inspired by The Dirty Three, Duane Eddy and Low.