Hot House by The Cyclist: A Lo-Fi House Gem That Stays With You
Alright, let’s talk about Hot House by The Cyclist. This 2015 release is one of those albums that sneaks up on you—like, it doesn’t hit you over the head, but before you know it, you’re vibing so hard you don’t wanna press stop. It’s electronic music with a house backbone, but there’s this lo-fi haze draped over everything, making it feel both nostalgic and kinda futuristic at the same time. Props to Andrew Morrison (the producer behind The Cyclist) for pulling off something so effortlessly cool.
Now, I gotta shout out two tracks here because they’re just stuck in my brain: “Aurora” and “Spirals Onwards.”
“Aurora” kicks things off like a sunrise you didn’t know you needed. There’s this warm synth line that feels like sunlight peeking through your curtains after a rough night. And then—the beat drops in, soft but steady, like someone whispering, “Hey, you got this.” But what really gets me is how simple yet emotional it all feels. Like, there’s no big dramatic build or anything, just layers of sound swirling together until you’re lost in it. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the “Shortwave Mix” version later in the album—it flips the vibe completely, adding this jittery edge that makes you sit up straight. Genius move.
Then there’s “Spirals Onwards,” which might be my favorite track on the record. Honestly, I think I’ve listened to it like 50 times already. It starts off almost dreamlike, with these fluttery melodies floating around, but as the groove locks in, it turns into this hypnotic thing you can’t escape from. Every time I hear it, I imagine driving down some empty desert road late at night, windows down, stars above. Yeah, cheesy image, I know, but that’s the kind of magic this song has. It pulls emotions outta nowhere.
What I love most about Hot House is how unpretentious it feels. It doesn’t try too hard to impress; instead, it lets the listener sink into its world. Between labels like 100% Silk and Music/Is/For/Losers, you can tell this album was made for people who dig raw, imperfect sounds rather than shiny perfection. And honestly? That’s rare these days.
So yeah, Hot House isn’t gonna change your life overnight, but it’ll definitely stick around in little ways. Maybe you’ll catch yourself humming “Aurora” while washing dishes or zoning out to “Spirals Onwards” during a long commute. Or maybe—you’ll realize halfway through writing an album review that you’ve been listening to it on repeat without noticing. Oops. Guess that happened to me.
