There’s a particular kind of ambition that feels earned rather than announced, and The Desert Plaza have it in spades. Formed in London after vocalist Luca Zanni made the move from Modena, Italy, chasing, as the story goes, the very specific dream of starting a band, ‘To Hell with Love’ is the sound of a group who have put the hours in and know exactly what they want to say.

The record sits in that warm, wide-open space between classic rock and modern alt-rock, boasting arena-sized hooks that don’t feel cynically engineered, but genuinely felt. There’s a sun-drenched quality to the production that gives even the heavier moments a kind of emotional generosity. These are songs about wanting more, reaching for something, and the complicated feeling of not being sure you’ll get there.

Luca Zanni’s vocals are the anchor: expressive without being overwrought, carrying the kind of Mediterranean warmth that makes the band’s London backdrop feel all the more interesting as a contrast. Jack Edwards’ guitar work is melodic and purposeful, Luke Allatt’s bass giving the whole thing a satisfying low-end weight, Max Rhead holding it all together with drumming that knows when to push and when to pull back.

‘To Hell with Love’ isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s trying to make you feel something, and it does. In a landscape full of bands chasing trends, The Desert Plaza are doing something more old-fashioned and more difficult: writing songs with genuine heart.

One of the most promising EPs this year.