Hinds

"They bring the energy of a thousand rock bands, entrancing the crowd with their searing indie riffs, the constant interlocking of guitars and smiles, and deeply charming banter"

The fourth album from Spanish indie rockers Hinds opens with a song called “Hi, How Are You”. It’s an apt introduction to VIVA HINDS, an album Cosials and Perrote made after emerging from a creative rut that began when they released their last album, Prettiest Curse, in 2020 and ended when their bassist and drummer decided to leave the band. In between, they 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 VIVA HINDS, those hardships dissolved. The girls had no one in their corner, but they had one another, and that mutual allowed them to create the most accomplished album of their careers, one that celebrates their shared history and reaffirms that this band is in it for the long haul.

Effervescent since inception, Hinds took off instantly over a decade ago when, after spending one too many nights out watching guy friends play guitar, Perrote and Cosials decided that they would learn the instrument, write songs, and start a band. Their scrappy ethic, infectious onstage personalities, and knack for writing hooks made their debut album, 2016’s Leave Me Alone, a buzzy hit, and they kept the momentum going with I Don’t Run in 2018. Since those formative early days, they’ve toured internationally and graced festival stages at Glastonbury, Coachella, Fuji Rock, and many more, in addition to opening for major acts like The Strokes, Coldplay, and 5SOS.

Despite the determinedly simple approach, VIVA HINDS is sonically adventurous and career-defining. Hinds has experienced setbacks before. When they got their start all those years ago, they’d chosen the name Deers, amassing a fanbase only to be served a cease and desist by a more established band with a similar name. As always, Cosials and Perrote exuded enviable optimism when they announced the band’s new moniker on social media. To their delight, the name took quickly; soon after, at a show, they heard the audience shouting: “Viva Hinds!” This started happening everywhere they went. It was a small upset, but both Cosials and Perrote were reminded of it as they wrapped their new album. What initially seemed like an ending then, as now, turned out to be a new phase. VIVA HINDS!!