That Hot Minute describe themselves as “the music industry’s answer to Charlie’s Angels (...minus Charlie)” tells you quite a bit. The trio assert their attitude and independence, as band member Keely describes:
“You can be a bad bitch AND your own boss. You don’t need a ‘Charlie’ and you don’t just have to be one specific thing or another. You don’t have to answer to anyone. In our case this applies to us as women, but the message is universal - don’t underestimate yourself, you don’t need permission.”
On Drive they pound out electronic synth pop drench in retro 80s touches, a neon daydream surrounded by embellishments - muted guitar strings, drum rolls and the kind of glorious sax solo last seen on M83’s Midnight City.
Drive, a song about escape and escapism, has actually been stashed away in Manchester trio Hot Minute’s song book for years, but it only felt like the time for it had come now. Sometimes music needs a little time to brew. That’s what happened with Drive, and it’s all the better for it... Indeed that sax solo only actually found its way into the song midway through last year.
Keely says the song’s sense of escape is supposed to feel accessible, in perhaps the most British quote I’ve ever featured on these pages:
“We really wanted to get across the romanticised relationship of the high you get while chasing what feels like an impossible dream - but at the same point, if you just need to escape the house at 2am to get some white chocolate cookies from Asda, we’re also ok symbolising that! It’s the escape you want it to be.”
Check out Drive below: