South London’s Hotel Lux have announced their highly anticipated self-released second album, ‘The Bitter Cup’, set for release on October 31st. The news arrives alongside a powerful new single and video, ‘Costermonger’, and details of an extensive UK winter tour.
Following the widespread critical acclaim of their 2023 debut, Hands Across The Creek, the band are entering a new chapter. Recent single ‘Another One Gone’ hinted at a period of rediscovery, and ‘Costermonger’ solidifies their return with biting social commentary. The track, inspired by a BBC documentary on Deptford Market, is a raw critique of gentrification and the displacement of local communities. The band describes it as a “musical translation” of the area’s rise and fall, with the title referencing the Cockney term for a market trader.
The band added: “Sadly, the subject matter of the lyrics are as relevant now as they would’ve been back in ‘67 when Lewisham council first started pulling down the council housing.“
The video was directed by Dillon Home and Alex Wylie.
For ‘The Bitter Cup’, Hotel Lux took the reins, self-producing the record at Big Jelly Studios. This decision, born from confidence and necessity, allowed them to carve out their own sound. Written collaboratively and recorded live, the album promises to capture the emotional intensity and pinpoint energy of their renowned live shows, which have seen them support the likes of Shame and The Chats.
Having journeyed from early success with ‘The Last Hangman’ to this new, self-assured era, ‘The Bitter Cup’ finds Hotel Lux at their most vulnerable, yet most confident. The next chapter has truly begun.
Hotel Lux UK Tour Dates
Nov 13th – Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield
Nov 14th – The Grayston Unity, Halifax
Nov 15th – Zerox, Newcastle
Nov 16th – Sneakey Pete’s, Edinburgh
Nov 18th – Sunbird Records, Darwen
Nov 19th – The Jacaranda, Liverpool
Nov 20th – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Nov 21st – Fiery Bird, Woking
Nov 22nd – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
Nov 23rd – The Waterfront, Norwich
Nov 27th – Bear Cave, Bournemouth
Nov 28th – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
Dec 18th – Oslo, London
Dec 19th – Kola, Portsmouth
