Since their conception in 2019, Bahraini prog rock group HotBoxGroove has been fusing elements of Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Blues. The band consists of six local Bahraini musicians who are pushing the limits of what music in the region can sound like by experimenting with odd time signatures, fusing genres, and unconventional instrumentation.
Their debut track ‘Midnight Blooms’ is composed in 7/4 time signature, and although odd time signatures usually feel wonky and off balance, the lead guitar and trumpet melodies in the track along with the tight rhythm section lead to an intuitive head bopping sound that keeps you engaged all throughout.
The track starts out slowly with some ambient pads and a slow guitar melody. Soon after, the drums and bass come in with an intoxicatingly complex groove. The slick guitar work in the first half uses an extensive blues vocabulary, which morphs over the course of the track eventually turning into a straight-up rock solo at the climax.
This constant change in style, along with the drums moving things forward, keep the track feeling fresh from start to finish. Another highlight of this track is the trumpet solo in the middle, which plays out a yearning melody on top of a bouncy drum groove, so that the contrast between the two leads to a satisfying fusion of genres.
The band is currently planning to release a full EP by the end of 2023.
