I first found Hot Milk through their song Wide Awake, which is an electronic pop rock banger on its own, but after soaking in the EP for a bit, I found myself falling completely head over heels for Awful Ever After.
Hot Milk's Are You Feeling Alive? EP is a strong display of their wild and youthful sound, and for me, Awful Ever After is their best piece of the four. Incidentally, it is their debut single, so I have to give them massive props for dropping such a banger right out the gate of their career.
Hannah and James' dual-fronting vocals are an excellent dynamic that forms the core of a lot of their sound. Coupled with energetic choruses, emo-esque passionate singing, and an absolutely impressive bridge, this song is packed with young exuberance and teenage angst throughout.
I have to give props to my two favourite things about this song. The chorus is one of the catchiest on the EP and I love the vocal textures with their harmonising on it. The bridge blew me away when I first heard it, it was just a splendid mix of cathartic singing, brilliant vocal melodies and emotive lyrics. This section, despite how short it is, cemented the song's greatness for me.
Awful Ever After is still one of their best songs to date, albeit a short career so far having only started in 2018. I'm looking forward to what else Hot Milk has in store, as they seem like a band that's just only getting started, and full of energy that isn't going away anytime soon.
Rating: 4/5
"Are You Feeling Alive?" EP Cover