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Mar 10, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Mortis Studios

Tomorrow, San Francisco indie pop trio Hot Flash Heat Wave are set to share their long-awaited third album, Sportswear. Arriving after the exploratory psychedelic direction of their 2019 EP, Mood Ring, their new record sees the trio of Adam Abildgaard, Nick Duffy, and Ted Davis departing further than ever before from their garage rock roots. The sharp indie rock hooks are now fused with influences pulled from disparate sources such as new wave, club culture, and R&B. Today you can get an early listen to the band’s latest experiment below, premiering early with Under the Radar.

Sportswear sees the band spinning out in new and exciting directions, moving effortlessly between styles and genres with each track. “Yesterday” opens the record on a spacious synthwave soundscape, recalling the futurist neon-soaked side of ‘80s synth pop. Conversely, tracks like “Bay Boys” play with the darker textures of moody goth rock like Depeche Mode while previous singles “Vampires,” “Grudge,” and “m o t i o n s,” explore shimmering new wave synths and psych pop grooves.

Later in the record, “Like Nothing Else” dives further into the band’s psychedelic side, offering moments of crushing distortion before the track just as quickly spirals off into a twinkling kaleidoscopic haze of melody. Finally, “Bridge to Nowhere” is a surprisingly potent dance track, complete with pounding beats, skittering rhythms, and an infectious piano hook.

By it’s end, Sportswear feels like it’s operating on a new level of creative vision, far surpassing anything the band have attempted before. As the band describes, “Sportswear is a world of its own, a vision that encompasses not just music, but art, storytelling and fashion as well. Sonically we felt drawn to elements from early goth, new wave, and house, taking them through our filter of indie, psychedelia, r&b and modern pop. We were also inspired by the style and hyper-individualism of late 90s club culture and anime. The name Sportswear is a cheeky nod to this tapestry of influences and the disambiguation of trends and subculture, as they become commodified for mass appeal and lose their deeper meaning. Lyrically the record speaks to our personal life struggles and soul searchings as well as existential sensations and narrations.”

Check out the full record below. You can also check out the band’s upcoming tour dates below. Tickets are on sale now.

HOT FLASH HEAT WAVE LIVE

with Marc E Bassy ^

with Small Crush *

with Similar Kind $

with Reptaliens !

Mar 15 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst ^

Mar 16 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades ^

Mar 19 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Music Hall ^

Mar 20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda ^

Mar 28 - St. Paul, MN - The Treasury * $

Mar 29 - Milwaukee, WA - X-Ray Arcade * $

Mar 30 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean * $

Apr 1 - Ferndale, MI - Loving Touch * $

Apr 2 - Toronto, ON - Monarch * $

Apr 3 - Montreal, QC - Bar LeRitz * $

Apr 5 - Boston, MA - Middle East Upstairs * $

Apr 7 - New York, NY - Brooklyn Made * $

Apr 8 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd * $

Apr 9 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie * $

Apr 10 - Carborro, NC - Cats Cradle Backroom * $

Apr 11- Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle * $

Apr 12 - Nashville, TN - High Watt * $

Apr 13 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade Purgatory * !

Apr 14 - Orlando, FL - The Abbey * !

Apr 15 - West Palm Beach, FL - Respectables * !

Apr 16 - Jacksonville, FL - 1904 Music Hall * !

Apr 19 - Houston, TX - White Oak Upstairs * !

Apr 20 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger * !

Apr 21 - Austin, TX - Empire Control Room * !

Apr 22 - Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum Art Co. * !

Apr 23 - Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street * !

Apr 24 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad * !

Apr 25 - Phoenix, AZ - Rebel Lounge * !

Apr 28 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room * !

May 13 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Shabang Music Festival

Aug 15 - Norwich, UK - Voodoo Daddy’s

Aug 16 - Brighton, UK - The Hope & Ruin

Aug 18 - Bristol, UK - The Louisiana

Aug 19 - London, UK - Moth Club

Aug 20 - Birmingham, UK - Dark Horse

Aug 22 - Manchester, UK - YES Basement

Aug 23 - Newcastle, UK - Head of Steam

Aug 24 - Glasgow, UK - Broadcast

Aug 25 - Sheffield, UK - Sidney & Matilda

Aug 27 - Hamburg, DE - Nochtwache

Aug 29 - Berlin, DE - Berghain Kantine

Aug 30 - Cologne, DE - Blue Shell

Aug 31 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Upstairs

Sep 1 - Antwerp, BE - Trix Café

Sep 2 - Paris, FR - Supersonic