It’s been a few years in the making, but as Sydney writer and producer Hotel unveils his debut EP Hotel, it’s clear we’ve received one of the year’s finest and most memorable dance releases.
The latest musical moniker of Andrew Tudehope, Hotel has been on the scene since 2020, slowly releasing a stellar run of singles in the time since. Armed with a love for names such as Talking Heads and The Flaming Lips, Hotel unleashed debut single “Loose Change” in December of 2020, before following things up again with “Meraki” in June of 2021, and most recently sharing “Holy Smokes” back in October.
Having worked with the likes of Triple One’s Obi Ill on the likes of “Loose Change” and “Holy Smokes”, Hotel isn’t a project that needs to lean on external talent to create something wonderful. In fact, Tudehope’s talent as a producer and composer makes itself apparent almost immediately. Powerful basslines, stellar choruses, and slick production (spearheaded by Joshua Pearson, William Gunns, and Tudehope) combine to turn Hotel’s debut EP into a release that feels custom-made for the dancefloor.
“Night Swim is about creating a collection of music that looks to take listeners to an introspective place through the lyrics and reflect on the parts of life which may seem overwhelming at times i.e. money, relationships, and the unknown, and pairs these thoughts with music that looks to make your hips swing and feet tap,” explains Hotel.
“The contrast between message and feeling highlights the idea that when things feel overwhelming sometimes something a simple as dancing can make everything feel OK for a while.”
The result is an EP which feels as exuberant as it does powerful. Whether it be for the sake of pumping up the blood pressure and cutting loose, or simply serving as a reminder that things can still be OK, Night Swim is a stellar body of work that straddles genres effortlessly, and in the process asserts itself as equally immersive, emotive, and enjoyable.
With international attention and a number of brand deals to his name, Hotel is undoubtedly an artist on the rise, and with Night Swim, it’s easy to see why.
Hotel’s Night Swim is out now.
