Founded by former members of Xerosun, The Idiots, Neon Flea Circus, Tarantella Fall and Diablo DC, Hotel On Mars may have only just given birth to their debut album – but due to their impeccable pedigree, Don’t Feel Like Daylight is free from any first album jitters.

Sounding as lean and mean as a street walking cheetah (with a heart full of napalm), the album is a riot of high energy rock songs and swaggering, sweat-soaked soul.

Recorded as live in a Welsh studio, and propelled by the raw power of a show that’s been honed in clubs across the land, Don’t Feel Like Daylight works best when the band are at full throttle – which is often. For me, ‘Machine’ – driven by a dirty riff reminiscent of early Yeah Yeah Yeahs – is the star of the show. But there’s lots of gems here, with the funky ‘Bad Dalai Lama’ and the brooding ‘First Degree Burns’ giving it a run for its money.
Check out the vinyl version for the full raw, powerful effect...

Key Track: ‘Machine’

head4rent records

7/10