Hinds

From the offset, Hinds were welcomed into the UK with enthusiastically open arms. As four, vigorous rays of Spanish sunshine, they cut a refreshingly jovial figure in an industry that, at times, takes itself far too seriously. In 2018, their feel-good formula of catchy, lo-fi garage rock has mutated into something sharper and more refined via the excellent, ‘I Don’t Run.’ We talk to Carlotta about how the band approached that difficult second album…

Q: Hi girls. You said you were “fighting for your place” on this record - what exactly did you mean by that?

A: I think a second album for any band is a little bit like that. Suddenly you have to start a new path that will “define” you and will give more angles to shape the world and all that stuff. It’s exciting!

Q: Because you give off a very positive energy, I think people expect you to be happy all the time. This record seems to diminish some of those assumptions. What were the struggles you wanted to acknowledge on I Don’t Run?

A: Yeah, we’re not happy all the time, nobody is. On the first album we showed 12 faces of love; on this album we wanted to focus on what comes after love. It’s curious how love can save your life or completely ruin it. I like to think that love is the most powerful thing in this world and at the same time, it’s the most universal illness of human beings.

Q: Do you find it hard to write about personal things? Are you worried that it could be like an open window for some people?

A: Well yeah, we thought like that before but with this album we decided to give priority to art. We thought it was going to make songs better if we were more sincere and if I may be honest, we haven’t received any text messages reclaiming intimacy, haha.

Q: What was it like working with Gordon Raphael for the album? How did he let your personalities show through in the music?

A: He wanted us to just be us. He didn’t change us a bit. Anytime we’d ask for advice, like what pedals to use or what guitar, his answer would always be “whatever you guys like better”. So, at the beginning it felt a bit frustrating because we really wanted answers, haha. But in the end we really appreciated it because it feels like every decision in that album has been 100% ours.

Q: Youth unemployment in Spain is higher than most EU countries and the Catalonian referendum has stirred much debate and divide all over the world, what are your thoughts on the country you call home in 2018? How do you think it’s impacting the younger generation there?

A: Spain is a great country but we’re fucked.The Catalonian independence has existed since so long ago but we’re not handling it right. Spain is full of different nationalisms that people don’t realise they are the same shit in the end. It’s just thinking that YOU are better than the rest. You, your flag, your city, your estate - it’s very, very sad. I don’t know.

Q: You’re very well-loved here in the UK, how did you find your recent London show? How much has it changed since the first time you played here?

A: The last show in London was nuts and great!!! We’ve always felt very loved from UK people, since the very beginning. It felt a little bit like home to us because it all started in London but from that first show to the last one... it has rained a lot!!

Hinds play Latitude Festival on Friday, July 13 - BBC Music Stage

Words by Harley Cassidy | Illustration by Danny Miller