It’s safe to say that I’m just a little en amor with Spanish rock band Hinds. The four-piece group from Madrid has been killing it lately, announcing a new album and expansive world tour, as well as finishing a European run with their self-proclaimed idols the Strokes, in just a matter of weeks. Since seeing Hinds play on New Year’s Eve, I’ve been on a bit of an obsessive—yet adoring—kick. Their songs and singles have dominated my multiple rotating playlists, their 2018 album I Don’t Run on repeat more in the last month than ever before. That in mind, I can’t express how good it felt to wake up this morning to a brand new single from the band; one that has already become a major earworm.
“Come Back and Love Me <3” sounds as far removed from Hinds’ usual niche as it could be. For a band so open about their rambunctious, rock n’ roll lifestyle, Hinds’ tunes—often chock full of wailing guitar and infectiously dance-worthy beats—fit in as snuggly as a glove. Still, “Come Back and Love Me <3” is entirely them; just a bit more of their softer side than we're used to. Guitarists Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote alternate on sleepy-sounding vocals, intertwining to create a sweet and subtle blanket of sound. As the speaker croons that their lover “came at the wrong wrong time,” they acknowledge that they are getting better about opening up to another person and being okay with not being okay. They understand that they weren’t in the right space to love in the past, but are on their way there, desperate for another chance. One can hear the yearning in Cosials and Perrote’s words as they pull persistently at our own heartstrings.
A quiet, classical guitar pulsating throughout, the song makes one feel that Hinds is singing directly to them, letting you in on a kind of sonic secret meant for your ears only. Its whimsical xylophone, reminiscent of childhood and windchimes on lazy summer afternoons, makes the entire thing seem like some long forgotten memory; one that you want to cling to with all your might. Though a bittersweet ballad, there is a glimmer of hope within the whispering, wallowing vocals. It’s a reminder that Hinds are (and always have been) hopeless romantics at heart; for the people in their lives, the music they make, and the connection that draws the two together. It is that comforting piece of mind I so desperately needed on this dreary, early March morning. Hopefully, it will do the same to you as well.
Be sure to be on the lookout for Hinds’ forthcoming album, The Prettiest Curse, out June 5 via indie label Mom + Pop Music, and catch them on tour later this year.
Stream the single here.
Words by Carly.
