Hinds

Hinds is a story that begins, as many great ones do, with two friends and a shared love of music. Formed in Madrid in 2011 by Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote, the duo initially called themselves Deers, crafting a scrappy, lo-fi sound that felt both effortlessly cool and deeply personal. After a brief hiatus, they reformed in 2013 with renewed energy, and by March 2014, they had recorded two tracks, Bamboo and Trippy Gum, releasing them on Bandcamp under the title Demo. The response was immediate and electrifying. Music publications including NME and The Guardian took notice, with the latter naming Deers their "new band of the week," while celebrated musicians such as Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys publicly championed their music.

Emboldened by the buzz, the duo expanded into a four-piece, welcoming close friend Ade Martín on bass and Netherlands-born Amber Grimbergen on drums. The newly formed band won the prestigious "Make Noise Malasaña" festival contest in May 2014, earning the opportunity to record their second single, Barn, at the Converse Rubber Tracks Studio in Berlin. However, their name was soon to change. In late 2014, a legal threat from the similarly named Canadian band The Dears prompted a rebrand. On 7 January 2015, the group officially became Hinds, a word of Germanic origin meaning "female deer" — a clever, defiant nod to their origins.

The name change did nothing to slow their momentum. In 2015, Hinds embarked on their first world tour, making waves at iconic festivals including South by Southwest, where they performed an astonishing 16 concerts in just four days, and Festival Internacional de Benicàssim. They also supported major acts such as The Libertines and The Vaccines, steadily building a devoted international following. Their debut album, Leave Me Alone, arrived on 8 January 2016, debuting at number 47 on the UK Albums Chart and charting in Japan. Featuring fan favorites such as Garden and Bamboo, the record captured the spirit of a band entirely comfortable in their own skin — raw, joyful, and gloriously unpolished.

Musically, Hinds occupy a wonderfully distinct space. Often described as a garage rock and lo-fi band, their sound draws comparisons to Velvet Underground and The Pastels, while the band themselves cite The Strokes, Black Lips, Ty Segall, and Mac DeMarco as primary influences. There is a looseness and warmth to their recordings that feels both vintage and entirely modern, as though each song is being played live in a room just for the listener.

Their second album, I Don't Run, released in April 2018, showcased a band growing in confidence without abandoning the charm that made them special. Preceded by singles including New For You and The Club, the record demonstrated a sharper songwriting focus while retaining their signature spontaneous energy. Around this time, Hinds also lent their voices to the Spanish-language version of the main title track for the Disney film Cars 3, marking a fun and unexpected milestone in their career.

The third album, The Prettiest Curse, released in June 2020, arrived into a world transformed by the global pandemic. Originally scheduled for April 2020, the album was delayed but ultimately delivered some of their most diverse work yet, incorporating Spanish-language lyrics and a broader range of instrumentation. During lockdown, the band also recorded a stirring cover of The Clash's Spanish Bombs, explaining with characteristic warmth that as Spaniards, they rarely received shout-outs in famous songs, making The Clash's tribute to their civil war feel particularly meaningful. They also collaborated with Japanese band CHAI on the exuberant United Girls Rock'n'Roll Club, a multilingual celebration delivered in Spanish, Japanese, and English.

In December 2022, a new chapter began when Ade Martín and Amber Grimbergen quietly departed the band, a departure publicly confirmed in July 2023. Rather than faltering, Cosials and Perrote leaned into the transition, continuing to tour with new members Paula Ruiz on bass and Maria Lázaro on drums before recording their fourth album as a duo. Viva Hinds, released on 6 September 2024, felt like a bold declaration of survival and reinvention. Featuring the Beck collaboration Boom Boom Back and the infectious Superstar, the album earned Hinds a place on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of 2024, ranked at number 81.

More than a decade since two friends first picked up guitars in Madrid, Hinds remain one of indie rock's most compelling voices. Their journey from Bandcamp uploads to international festival stages is a testament to the enduring power of music made with conviction, camaraderie, and an unwavering commitment to doing things entirely on their own terms.