Hinds at Electric Brixton

Fresh from releasing their sophomore album I Don’t Run, Madrid quartet Hinds have embarked on a sprawling tour, stopping off at a number of new locations and returning to some old haunts. London falls firmly in the latter category; the group played their fourth ever gig here and it represents something of a spiritual home to the self-styled garage rock band – albeit one that has adopted the lo-fi beach-rock sound of West Coast America so in vogue today.  

“We are four girls from Madrid, we are friends,” announced Carlotta Cosials, de facto frontwoman for the evening, her grin infectious as she took a swig from a can of beer (the four had rushed on stage clutching cans), setting the tone for a night of guitar-laden ebullience.  

For an hour the four-piece kept up a fizzy, euphoric performance, never misplacing a lick of a guitar, nor a drum kick. Yet, despite the synchronised majesty of a faultless set, they managed to channel an untidy punk element: Cosials and fellow singer Ana García Perrote screamed some of their vocals, the former acting as cheerleader, urging the crowd to get onto another person’s shoulders – a plea which was curtailed by an ardent security force intent on making this a visual experience and little else.

The fans – deterred by the austere security – couldn’t match the energy of Hinds, and there was a distinct feeling that the band best suits smaller venues. All audience movement was concentrated in a small circle near the stage, while large numbers mimicked the sporadic groups of people you stumble upon around the edge of a festival stage: hands in pockets and heads nodding lazily to the melody.

Rather than let the inert crowd affect them, however, the musicians doubled down, rattling off tracks from the new album, delivered beside old favourites. Soberland, Linda and Echoing My Name were particular highlights from their latest compilation, fitting seamlessly alongside established hits such as Chili Town and Bamboo.

As the gig rocked its way to a finale, the inevitable encore arrived. An exuberant performance of New For You – featuring Cosials playing with the guitar behind her head – capped an exhilarating show and reminded the spectators that, despite their soft studio sound, the four friends from Madrid are a garage band – and proud of it.

Jake Cudsi
Photos: Erol Birsen

For further information and future events visit Hinds’s website here.

Watch the video for  New For You here: