In an age where the media rules all, lines are blurred across space and time as the power of the internet allows us to relive any era or vibe we fancy at the press of a button. This shift in consumption has been a matter of life or death for many artists, who are more free than ever to create the content they want to create but whose audiences are more demanding and difficult to please than ever, begging the question: how do you possibly be original in an industry where anything is possible and everything already exists?
But it is these exact precarious sink-or-swim conditions from which The Joy Hotel have emerged, a psychedelic rock seven-piece which has in the last year burst out from the local scenes of Scotland and onto the stages of festivals such as Latitude and TRNSMT. And now equipped with their debut album Ceremony, a 12-track product of the band’s many musical influences, the rising success of The Joy Hotel seems not only inevitable but imperative to the industry.
The band entered the recording studio with a colourful vision for their debut album rooted in an ambitious collage of musical inspirations. What they re-emerged with 11 days later was Ceremony, a live-to-tape musical landscape painted with brushstrokes of dreamy guitar riffs, twinkling organ keys, and embellishments of shakers, layers of violin and rich vocals. Ceremony is exactly what it says on the tin. A ritual. A performance. A musical pilgrimage fit for a movie soundtrack. The band has described this album as ‘cinematic’, and this is evident from the very first sounds of I Decline, through which strums of bright, sunny guitar introduce us to a world of colour and energy. Closely followed by layers of soulful keys and playful percussion, the track soon begins a dynamic rise and fall that continues to flow through the rest of the album.
Transitioning from this bright explosion of sound into something more calm and delicate, some slightly more gentle guitars bring us into Forever Tender Blue, a gentle yet powerful ballad perfect for a scenic stroll on a pretty summer night, before gentle yet haunting keys bring us to First Joy, a song that is dramatic and ambient while simultaneously effortless and chill. Vocalists Emme and Luke create rich harmonies that blend together seamlessly, while still taking their moments to shine individually, bringing a Fleetwood Mac-esque vocal dynamic into the 21st century. The song complements this with a maze of tempo shifts as well as a dreamy detour through a constellation of guitars and keys fit for a Pink Floyd record, before bouncy percussion brings us back to the original path as the vocals kick in again.
These dynamics only get stronger and more captivating as the album progresses, with Jeremiah bringing the energy right back to the top, followed by Black Balloon, a complete change of pace into more solemn, theatrical tones of piano and emotive flurries of string and brass instruments reflecting contemplatory lyrics about love, pain and other bittersweet aspects of humanity.
A final flurry of violin brings us seamlessly into the next track Rapid Eye Movement. While vocalists Emme and Luke are undoubtedly stunning, it’s arguably the instrumental arrangements that really make the band stand out from the crowd. This instrumental track is a clear example of how the band’s storytelling and musical flair rise above the necessity for lyrics. Surrounded by haunting backing vocals, the track reveals its emotion through deep ringing base notes, crunchy riffs and expressive percussion, showcasing the true abundance of talent in each band member not only as performers but as composers.
After this instrumental conclusion to the first half of the album, Old Man’s Eyes bounces right back into action with the energy and playfulness of a childhood summertime adventure. This playful, nostalgic tone is carried forward into While You’re Young, a reflective but fun tribute to those carefree days of youth told through rose tinted glasses of dreamy vocal harmonies and hazy guitars before a reflective piano segment trails off into the next track. No Use provides a short but sweet breather from the beautiful chaos of the album so far and, in preparation for the theatrics to come, offers a stripped back, gentle combination of piano keys, acoustic guitar and some accompanying whistling to create a track that is equal parts mournful and optimistic.
The band quickly bring the tempo back up with the bright, punchy guitar riffs of Twenty Three (A Comedy) – Part 1 dance to life in a whirlwind of warmth and bounciness. With these next two tracks the album’s storytelling is taken to the next level with epic, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’-like rises and falls that are unpredictable without ever feeling out of place. While …Part 1 is an upbeat explosion of determination, anticipation and hints of irony that celebrates the bittersweet process of ageing through life and finding your place in the world, Twenty Three (A Comedy) – Part 2 exhales at first into a calmer, more melancholic tone. This second part is entirely instrumental but far from monotonous, leading us through tempo changes, crescendos as well as some quiet moments interspersed within it until a satisfying resolution and crash of cymbals signals the transition into the next phase of the album.
Killing Time sways from one beat to the next with a relaxed, laid back attitude not unlike the title of the song. Delicate chimes and gentle drums accompany a segment of spoken poetry before overtaking ad building into a louder sound full of endless layers of guitars and strings. Barely giving you the time to acclimate, the band quickly return to their relaxed and chill delivery, though this time highlighting an existential and contemplative edge. The song ominously trails off into Small Mercy, a jazzy piano ballad which concludes the album. Arguably saving the best till last, Small Mercy appears at first to be a simple yet moving track, however gradually builds into a release, a constellation of twinkling percussion and singing guitars bound to lift you right off your feet before the album grinds to a staggering halt.
Ceremony is a breathtaking musical pilgrimage from start to finish, shifting in mood and pace in each song while still maintaining momentum across the whole album. With slight detours to see the gorgeous sights of instrumental segments of time signature shifts, by the time you arrive at the end it is difficult to remember the person you were before you hit play. With this impressive debut album, The Joy Hotel have managed a rare achievement of creating a sound that is a product of so many influences and inspirations whilst still being entirely its own thing. Maybe this is what sets them apart from the rest: the way that they combine the best bits of psychedelic-rock, with hints of indie, alternative and even country, and with this form a sound that is simultaneously reflective and hopeful, original and inspired, new and timeless.
For fans of: Declan McKenna, The Last Dinner Party, Pink Floyd, Blossoms
‘Ceremony’ by The Joy Hotel is out now on SO Recordings.
Words by Heather Swift
