Warmduscher Turns Up the Heat on Too Cold To Hold

As they chill out on the improvisation, the UK post-punk act heats up with meticulously crafted chaos.

by Sarah Morrison

Photos by Felipe Pegano

Published on November 13, 2024

Warmduscher’s rise has always been about pushing back against anything too polished. The London-based post-punk act made their mark in 2015 with the wild and raw debut Kaki Tears, an album that felt like pure, reckless spontaneity, with 90-second tracks that fit perfectly with the kind of chaotic parties they’d soon take over. Fast forward to now, and as they gear up to release Too Cold To Hold, the band has evolved significantly from their pint-smashing early days, honing in on a more focused, direct vision.

“When we started, nearly everything was improvised. Kaki Tears was made up on the spot,” frontman Clams Baker Jr. says. “But as we’ve gone on, it’s shifted toward more writing and less improvisation. That’s where we are now.”

Creating Too Cold To Hold was a deliberate process. “We had plenty of time to work on this one. Since we self-produced it with Ben Romans Hopcraft and Jamie Neville, we could really do things our way,” Baker Jr. explains. “You can hear the progression—Ben brought in influences like jazz and gqom, this South African house-inspired style. Plus, having our new drummer allowed us to explore different rhythms with more confidence.”

This shift didn’t come without its challenges.. “Ben and I spent hours in the writing room, and it was way more collaborative than before. About 95 per cent of it was just him and me,” he says. Although this dialled up the intensity of the process, the collaboration opened up space for vulnerability, turning what could have been chaotic into something cohesive. “What we were doing before was perfect for that time, and what we’re doing now fits where we are now. Things change, and we chose to grow with it.”

With more time and freedom to self-produce, the band faced new pressures. “When we used to record with Dan, the chaos came from time constraints. We had limited time to finish an album, so we couldn’t obsess over every detail,” Baker Jr. explains. “It’s a different kind of pressure, even if you don’t always feel it.”

Warmduscher’s willingness to explore new influences has pushed their sound forward. Baker Jr. credits tour-bus conversations with bassist Ben Romans Hopcraft for the band’s eventual desire to look a little more overseas. “That really clicked for me,” he says. “My early work felt very New York or American, but this album came out feeling very British—specifically London.” This realization brought them deeper creative fulfillment.

“I hope listeners can hear the progression on this record, especially with the rhythms and styles we’ve woven in,” Baker Jr. says. “Even with all these variations, it’s still distinctly us, always with that unique twist. I want people to feel the same energy they got from our older stuff, but with a real sense of progression. That’s what excites me.”

The album includes some exciting collaborations, such as a spoken word contribution from Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh. “It was incredible to have him on board. Who better to bring in for a spoken word than someone who created such an iconic piece of art?” says Baker Jr.

The collaborations didn’t stop there, with additional contributions from friends like Lianne La Havas and Janet Planet of Confidence Man. “The songs were all finished before the guest artists came in, and it all came from these relationships,” Baker Jr. explains. “Those little Easter eggs are incredibly rewarding for us, turning the album into a shared celebration.”

Too Cold To Hold captures the band’s journey—a collection of tracks pulsing with life, celebrating the highs and lows of their experiences. “This album is 100 per cent us, but in a different way than before. It’s the essence of that time, showing how everyone is stepping up and standing out.”

In the past, Warmduscher’s sound was heavily influenced by their live shows and performing as a group, but with this record, none of the songs have ever made it to the stage, until now. “Chaos is an interesting concept—it’s something people have said about us, but it’s not something I’ve ever really felt,” Baker Jr. says. “Our live shows create a lot of energy, which can feel chaotic, but this time, none of these songs were played live before we recorded them.”

Now, as they prepare for their upcoming tour, Clams expresses a mix of excitement and nerves about bringing the new material to life. “We’re about to find out how it all comes together. Our tour will be the first time we perform some of these songs live, so we’ll just have to see how it all plays out.”