Beloved Spanish indie rockers Hinds are back with their utterly triumphant fourth album, VIVA HINDS. Written by the band’s co-founders, co-vocalists, co-guitarists and co-songwriters Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote, it features their first-ever fully Spanish language songs, as well as first collaborations with the likes of Beck and Fontaines D.C.’s GrianChatten. Recorded in rural France, the album was produced by Pete Robertson (Beabadoobee), engineered by the GRAMMY-nominated Tom Roach, and mixed by GRAMMY-winning engineer Caesar Edmunds (The Killers, Wet Leg).

Shortly after the band made their debut ten years ago, they hit what felt like an insurmountable obstacle – they had to change their name from Deers to Hinds for legal reasons. But, as their fans began to greet them at shows by cheering “¡VIVA HINDS!”, the band soon realized that what initially felt like an ending was actually just the beginning. Fast forward to 2023, and VIVA HINDS was written by Cosials and Perrote after a series of endings. They hit a creative rut after releasing their 2020 album The Prettiest Curse, and their bassist and drummer devastatingly decided to leave the band. They also split with their management team, lost touring revenue due to lockdowns, and were without a label for the first time. But when Perrote and Cosials got together to write again it became clear that their connection, one so special that they call themselves “millionaires in friendship,” would be all they needed to get them through. VIVA HINDS – the most accomplished, sonically adventurous, honest and celebratory record of Hinds’ career – is only the beginning.

TRACK LISTING

1. Hi, How Are You
2. The Bed, The Room, The Rain And You
3. Boom Boom Back
4. Stranger
5. Superstar
6. Mala Vista
7. On My Own
8. Coffee
9. En Forma
10. Bon Voyage

A fresh chapter takes soft, sure shape for Cape Town-based singer-songwriter Wren Hinds on his new album. Released through Bella Union, Don’t Die in the Bundu follows Bella Union Pressings’ vinyl releases of Wren’s first three Bandcamp LPs. A gleaming set of gently dappled and poetic songs about fatherhood and fortitude, the album roots its restrained strength in an innate understanding of what matters most to us.

Wren’s own life began on the South-east coast of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. His father was a musician, his mother a landscape painter. While his dad inspired Wren to record whenever and wherever he could, his mother’s artform coloured his approach to songwriting: “painting with sound” is Wren’s description, a methodology illustrated by his use of light, shade and space to communicate powerful impressions and feelings.

Recorded at a timber cabin in the South Peninsula mountainside, about 40km outside of Cape Town, Don’t Die in the Bundu is at once a natural evolution from his earlier work…, a fresh start and a statement of commitment, embedded in its title. Drawn from “a few personal experiences,” says Wren, the inspiration for the title helps pinpoint its purpose. “It was inspired by a very old survival book distributed in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I had a few title options I was playing with, and around July 2022 a friend and I were held up at gunpoint in Cape Town. Fortunately we weren’t harmed or anything, but the whole ordeal helped me to settle on the title.”

Meanwhile, parenthood helped crystallise Wren’s perspective on the trials of our times. “I try not to be too pessimistic about the future, especially now that I have a kid. It forces me to look at the beauty in humanity and the mysterious nature of this place we call home. I guess, like everyone else, I’m often trying to figure out how it all fits together, and how we fit into this story… Now that I’m a father, I’d rather live in hope than in fear.” Richly subtle, deeply inquisitive, Don’t Die in the Bundu illustrates Wren’s preference beautifully.

TRACK LISTING

1. A Song
2. Wild Eyes
3. Father
4. Chasing The River
5. A Wasted Love
6. Restless Child
7. Dream State
8. The Garden
9. Gilded By The Sun, Silvered By The Moon
10. Razor Wing

Wren Hinds brought fresh thematic cogency to his third album, recorded in early 2020. The linking matter is his unerring ability to apply himself to each new situation, in this case a longing for connection - to humanity, nature - in a world tilted towards digital disconnection. While the lockdowns intensified the album's dystopian fears, the beauty and artistry in Wren's song craft counterpoint the shadows eloquently. The title-track laments "digital modification" over gamelan-ish flutters across six delicate minutes. All spectral voices and pining, 'Sign of Life' yearns for "some act of human kindness" to a wind-caressed cowboy lollop. 'The Pearl' longs for blissful quietude, while 'Wrenbird' evokes Sam Beam at his dreamiest. River's Song' adds soft, sure layers of accordion and guitar, before 'The Path' marshals misty harmonies and finger-picked guitar for a gentle declaration of resistance. "Bang your freedom drum," sings Wren, mapping out a singular path with understated assurance.

“Absolutely thrilled to be putting out ‘A Child’s Chant for the New Millennium’ with Bella Union! At the end of 2019 through early 2020 I buried myself amongst instruments, wires, synths, guitars and whatever I could get my hands on, I lost myself in the layering of textures, sounds and vocal overtones, armed with the scribbles of a couple new songs, ‘A Child’s Chant’ was born”.

TRACK LISTING

1. A Child's Chant For The New Millennium 06:01
2. Sign Of Life 05:28
3. The Pearl 05:44
4. Wrenbird 04:29
5. River's Song 04:04
6. The Path 02:37
7. Conclusion 00:19

Spanish quartet Hinds - Carlotta Cosials, Ana Perrotte, Ade Martin and Amber Grimbergen - announce their long-awaited second record I Don’t Run. Out April 6 via Lucky Number, the new album shows a bigger, better, faster, funnier, more dexterous Hinds. Co-produced by the band and Gordon Raphael [The Strokes, Regina Spektor], and engineered by Shawn Everett [Alabama Shakes, Perfume Genius, The War On Drugs, John Legend], I Don’t Run is the product of a band fighting for their place, a band unwilling to rely upon their successes, a band who have just begun to prove themselves, and a band who plays hard but works even harder.

Some might expect them to write songs about being happy, young and carefree – “but we're not satisfied with that,” explains guitarist Ana Perrote. “On this album the struggles are clear. We want to be brave.” I Don’t Run is Hinds’ return with an honest reflection on a period that changed their lives beyond their wildest imaginations. After everything they’ve overcome, one might think a band like Hinds would have second album jitters, but think again. Hinds are chomping at the bit and with defiant confidence. “We loved making this album,” says Perrote. “We knew what we wanted and we have what we wanted. This is a new start for us and we're fucking ready.”

TRACK LISTING

1. The Club
2. Soberland
3. Linda
4. New For You
5. Echoing My Name
6. Tester
7. Finally Floating
8. I Feel Cold But I Feel More
9. To The Morning Light
10. Rookie
11. Ma Nuit

Since bursting onto the DIY scene last summer, Hinds - Ana Perrote, Carlotta Cosials, Ade Martin and Amber Grimbergen - have mastered a raw and playful sound all their own. With just a handful of released singles under their belt, Hinds have already earned early support from BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music, NME, Guardian, Beats 1, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The FADER, Gorilla vs. Bear, and many more. Now with the release of their eagerly awaited debut album, Hinds are firmly establishing themselves as one of the most exciting emerging acts of the year and show no sign of slowing down.

Kicking things off with their new single “Garden,” Hinds take us on a badass rock & roll ride on their debut full-length Leave Me Alone. Weaving sun-kissed, 60’s-inspired melodies, executed with a genius call-and-response between co-vocalists and band co-founders Perrote and Cosials, Hinds create the ultimate soundtrack to the best day ever - from start to finish - spent with your four best friends. In addition to previously released fan favorites including the band’s first-ever single “Bamboo,” “Castigadas En El Granero” - which translates in English to “Grounded In The Barn” - and the band’s first new song of 2015 “Chili Town,” Leave Me Alone only gets better with each song. Featuring bright surf-pop tune “San Diego,” the mixed-tempo “Fat Calmed Kiddos,” and a bitter ode to shitty boyfriends in “And I Will Send Your Flowers Back,” Leave Me Alone is guaranteed to bring the Mediterranean sun to you wherever you are in the world at any time of the year. 

“A concentrated shot of brattish indie psych…a total breath of fresh air” – NME

“Addictive, pure pop hooks…they know exactly what they’re doing” – Q

“Loud, spiky and infectiously happy…(they) have a smack of the Velvet Underground and ramshackle riot grrrl bands” – Time Out

“…all scratchy guitars, kiss-off lyrics and Phil Spector sonics.” – The Sunday Times

“a lackadaisical, whimsical 60s garage-pop tune that’ll snog your face off and then nick your ice-cream afterwards.” – The Guardian

“an assertive rhythm and off-kilter guitar line…an enjoyable ride.” - Pitchfork

“The chillest four-piece in rock hail from Madrid, and write choruses so loose and lovely you’ll want to wear them in like a favorite pair of sneakers.” - The FADER

“We're head over heels.” - Noisey.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: Infectious pop hooks but delivered with a kind of ramshackle, lo-fi cool rather than the hi-gloss synth-pop sheen of many bands at the mo. Guaranteed to set your toes tapping and bring a smile to your face.

TRACK LISTING

1. Garden
2. Fat Calmed Kiddos
3. Warts
4. Easy
5. Castigadas En El Granero
6. Solar Gap
7. Chili Town
8. Bamboo
9. San Diego
10. And I Will Send Your Flowers Back
11. I’ll Be Your Man
12. Walking Home