bar italia: Some Like It Hot [Album Review]

bar italia
Some Like It Hot
Matador Records [2025]

“A cinematic tangle of post-punk grit and late-night vulnerability—bar italia stay unpredictable and utterly compelling.”

Album Overview: bar italia is a London trio made up of Nina Cristante, Jezmi Tarik Fehmi, and Sam Fenton—each pulling double duty as vocalist and songwriter. Emerging from the city’s underground art scene, their early lo-fi recordings mirrored their DIY instincts, often paired with visual exhibitions of their own sketches. After gaining a devoted following, the group signed to Matador Records and dropped Tracey Denim and The Twits in 2023, quickly evolving from shadowy stage presences to commanding performers on international festival lineups.

With Some Like It Hot, bar italia step into a bigger frame—emotionally, musically, and conceptually. The record explores longing, intimacy, and confusion amid the chaos of modern relationships. Borrowing its title from the 1959 film, the album channels that same mix of wit and allure, positioning the band as both narrators and actors in their own drama. Across twelve tracks, they balance vulnerability with bravado, crafting something cinematic yet personal. The band’s genre kaleidoscope remains part of their charm, though the album’s shifting styles may not hit every listener’s sweet spot.

Musical Style: The album shapeshifts between wiry post-punk, tender folk-pop, and hazy, late-night ballads. The trio’s rotating vocals give each song a hypnotic push-and-pull—voices overlapping, colliding, or cutting through the noise. Guitars slice and shimmer, rhythms swing then collapse, and textures blur between sharp and dreamy. It’s spontaneous but intentional, each song building toward something loose yet magnetic.

Evolution of Sound: Compared to their earlier work, Some Like It Hot feels more confident and grounded. Relentless touring has tightened their chemistry, translating the mystique of their early recordings into something larger and more open. What started as bedroom-born sketches now plays like widescreen art-rock, carrying a sense of purpose and movement. bar italia sound more connected—to each other, to their audience, and to the world beyond the shadows.

Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of Dry Cleaning, The Strokes, and early Interpol will find familiar edges here, while flashes of PJ Harvey’s dramatic grit and Garbage’s polished style keep things interesting. There’s a touch of The Velvet Underground’s cool detachment and the warm, interwoven vocals of Yo La Tengo or Broadcast. The band’s growing boldness even nods toward the widescreen emotional sweep of The Cure or Blonde Redhead.

Pivotal Tracks:“Cowbella” is a sharp character sketch that spirals into obsession, ending in a haunting fade. “Marble Arch” captures restless city thoughts with a breezy melody hiding darker corners. “Rooster” flips from groove to eruption, a burst of chaos wrapped in swagger. “Lioness” glides on a chiming 12-string riff that feels both regal and untamed. Together, these tracks show the band’s knack for tension—balancing fragility with force.

Lyrical Strength: The trio’s lyrics thrive on fragmented emotion and vivid snapshots. They write like bystanders stuck inside their own stories—asking questions, contradicting themselves, finding truth in hesitation. Themes of identity, intimacy, and illusion ripple throughout, where confession and mystery overlap. It’s less about grand statements and more about tone, mood, and how words hang in the air long after they’re sung.

Final Groove: Some Like It Hot finds bar italia testing the edges of their sound, stepping boldly into brighter light without fully abandoning the shadows that define them. It’s confident but still restless, a record that shows growth while hinting there’s more to come. Not every experiment lands, but the ambition keeps things exciting—and that’s what makes them one of the most interesting bands to watch right now.

BAR ITALIA LINKS
Instagram | Bandcamp | Matador Records