PINS - LuvU4Lyf

After self-releasing a couple of sold-out cassette singles and playing a string of well-attended shows up and down the UK, PINS have teamed up with Bella Union for their debut EP. Despite there being hints of fragility from within their cauldron of lo-fi noise, they make a strong impression from the off.

Anyone who’s witnessed the Manchester quartet’s onstage confidence will recognise the brooding bravado which the band exude on record. The txt-spk of the EP’s title certainly comes across as something of an ironic curveball, given how serious they sound on this four-track introduction. From the clattering drums which get the title track underway to Faith Holgate’s defiant vocals, there’s an intriguing aura of menace throughout. Instrumentally, ‘Say To Me’ could be the album opener on one of those occasionally-terrifying Black Angels records from years gone by, while the production values which see ‘Little Sting’ and ‘You Don’t Need To Be’ clouded in reverb add a sense of mystery to their lair.

This is a good start to life on Bella Union for PINS. Irrespective of the decidedly eerie mood they’ve succeeded in creating, you still get the impression that this has been an experimental beginning to life since getting signed. A label which focuses on artist development as much as Bella Union does will be a great home for them, as they start to hone their undoubted talent even further. Expect them to challenge, absorb and enthrall us all, as they become one of the North West’s brighter lights.