Being human in this day and age is a matter of increasing complexity. Often, navigating the tools at our disposal — and the ways they are presented to us — seems to come at a price.

That’s the concept behind Hot4Robot‘s new, self-titled concept album. The indie rock outfit — comprised of singer-songwriter Alex Radus; guitarist, composer, and mad scientist Dave Cahill; bassist Evan Straley, and drummer Andy Janowiak — will officially release the seven-track debut record to the world this Tuesday, May 18. With it, they hope to begin thoughtful conversations on the ways humanity loses (and finds) itself through war, pharmaceuticals, the media, and the nuances of 21st Century technology.

“Dave and I both consider Hot4Robot to be the most significant artistic achievement of our careers so far,” Radus said. “This is the first time we’ve seen the artistic reality match — and even exceed — the artistic vision to this extent.”

Radus and Cahill have been collaborators and friends for decades, and call Hot4Robot “the latest iteration” of their shared creative journey. The concept of Hot4Robot began developing in 2014, taking several years to come to fruition through meticulous song crafting, as well as each artist’s busy solo schedule.

Then, when the world shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pair saw an opportunity to realize their vision.

“Like everyone else, the pandemic slowed down our hectic lives and allowed us to focus on this project,” says Radus.  “Hot4Robot might have been a few more years in the making otherwise.”

The record was certainly worth the near decade-long wait. Each track on Hot4Robot is a multi-layered, adventurous soundscape full of memorable moments and important, thought-provoking commentary. Highlights include lead single “Made With Guns,” a high-powered introduction backed by tight grooves, memorable guitar riffs, and a wailing chorus melody that questions the validity of using war as a means to an end. Two tracks after that comes “Your Chemical,” a hazy and surrealist number which causes us to examine our addictions — and whether they serve to do us more harm than good.

Want commentary on the polarized state of American society? You’ll love “Binary World,” which addresses the ways our media and technology has turned very complex matters into black and white — or better yet, red and blue — issues.

Through it all, we’re left wondering whether all of our society’s “improvements” are truly all they’re cracked up to be. “Just Human” calls out the ways we try to transcend ourselves, while questioning if our often superficial desires bring us closer to true actualization. This idea is revisited on closing track “You’re Precious,” a swaggering, blues-rock influenced epic that ponders whether our efforts to keep up appearances are ultimately worthwhile.

“This album represents not only a shared artistic vision, but on a personal level, it’s a tribute to our long friendship and mutual respect for each other’s artistry,” Radus said.

What a brilliant vision, indeed. Enjoy Hot4Robot for yourself below!

Track listing
Made With Guns
Binary World
Your Chemical
Just Human
Ghost
Blue Screen
You’re Precious