Hoops

Hailing from Bloomington, Indiana, the quartet known as Hoops appeared on the national scene in late 2015. Their EP Tape #2 was uploaded to YouTube, and was almost instantly showered with praise by music bloggers. The band initially formed in 2011 as the solo ambient and noise project from vocalist Drew Auscherman and expanded in 2014 with the addition of vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Keagan Beresford, bassist Kevin Krauter and drummer James Allen. Using both traditional promotional methods and social media, the band started off anonymously and let the music speak for itself.

Hoops combines the trending revival of lo-fi sounds (a healthy throwback to ‘80s college rock) with traces of dreampop and shoegaze. There’s an obvious influence from bands like Galaxie 500 and Slowdive, with more contemporary hints of Real Estate and Ariel Pink. Hoops uses fairly simple instrumental techniques to create mysterious and heavy melodies. It’s all tied together by murky, neo-psychedelia vocals. The band released two more tapes, shortly following the success of the first one, increasing its fanbase. They signed to Fat Possum, and in mid-2016 they properly released their eponymous debut EP.

The EP has a simplicity to it, but this isn’t to say these songs are minimal. They comprise layers of cycling guitar, steady rhythms and soft echoes. That said, there is a polished efficiency in their music and the end result is refreshing, constantly conjuring the feeling of sweet, summer nights.»

-Samantha Lopez