Hot Joy Share Video for “Quality Control” — Their Sharpest Single Yet
St. Louis indie rock crew Hot Joy are back just a few months after their debut EP Small Favor, and they’ve got something fresh and fully charged. Their new two-song single, Quality Control b/w Leaning, drops in July via Tiny Engines—but you can watch the video for “Quality Control” right now.
Produced by Melina Duterte (aka Jay Som) and mixed by Eric Hudson (Foxing), “Quality Control” is a major step forward for Hot Joy. It’s sticky, fuzzed-out indie pop with teeth—a perfect mix of sugary hooks and scratchy edges. The track captures the feeling of spiraling at a party, finding your footing through the fog of anxiety and learning to live in your own skin. It’s vulnerable without being precious, catchy without trying too hard.
This is Hot Joy sounding like they’ve leveled up. Guitarist Austin McCutchen and bassist Nicole Bonura lock into an effortless vocal blend, while guitarist Curt Ochsner and drummer Wil McCarthy drive everything home with sweaty, scrappy confidence. There’s a clarity in the chaos here, like they know exactly what they’re doing—even when the lyrics say otherwise.
The band recorded the tracks during a whirlwind trip to L.A., bonding as much over burritos as they did over basslines. “Quality Control” came from one of those moments where things fall apart just enough to make sense again. Flip side “Leaning” sees Bonura dealing with burnout and everyday escape mechanisms that just don’t hit like they used to—gummy worms and all. Both songs lean into real emotion but keep things playful, pushing Hot Joy’s sound into bigger, brighter territory without losing the raw charm of Small Favor.
If this is a preview of their full-length due in 2026, then yeah—it’s time to keep your eyes on Hot Joy. They’re the kind of band that sounds like they were always meant to find each other. And now that they have? They’re making noise you can’t ignore.
No tour dates just yet, but keep your ears peeled—this one’s gonna stick.
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