The Joshua Hotel

The Joshua Hotel

The Joshua Hotel is a Scottish indietronica project from Inverness in the Highlands. It begins as a solo project by musician Joshua MacKenzie during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and later becomes a trio with guitarist Louis Slorach and drummer Joshua Gilbert. The project is associated with synthpop and indietronica and is rooted in the Scottish music scene.

Formation and members

MacKenzie starts the project alone before it expands into a band in 2022 with Slorach and Gilbert. The line-up centres on MacKenzie as a multi-instrumentalist, with Slorach on guitar and Gilbert on drums.

Releases

The project debuts in early 2021 with The Moments. It then issues a run of singles and the Closet Romantic EP later in 2021. After a period of inactivity, it returns with Don’t You Remember in July 2023, described as its first new material in two years. A second EP, Oblivion Days, follows in November 2023. The debut studio album, Rapture Party, appears on Last Night From Glasgow and reaches number 3 on the Scottish Albums Chart and number 14 on the Vinyl Albums Chart.

Reception and labels

The Moments receives radio support from Vic Galloway and Jim Gellatly. The project signs to Charlie Clark’s No Big Deal Music label before that label closes, and later releases music through the Scottish label Last Night From Glasgow.

Recording

Rapture Party is produced by Jason Shaw at Fuzzface Studios. In October 2023 the band says work has begun on the album before its release.