Shopfires is the solo vessel of Leicester’s Neil Hill, a one-man band aiming to jangly intimate pop, formed in December 2023 with the lovely Summer Bruises — a DIY bedroom-pop whisper that caught the ear of Subjangle’s Darrin Lee and earned Hill a debut-album release. His self-titled debut, released in March 2024, follow-up Holding On to Let Go, arriving in July, same year, and the new We Are Not There But We Are Here work within the ambits of beautiful jangly guitar pop — brushing close to Brighter, The Field Mice, Heavenly, and Television Personalities — yet radiant with a simplicity and warmth that feels both nostalgic and newly minted. Hill conjures shimmering cascades from a humble setup: acoustic guitar, gentle keys, introspective lyrics — all executed with such artful restraint it amplifies the emotional pull. His songs ripple like sunlit echoes, capturing that tender 80s indie-pop intelligence in a hushed, intimate modern form. There’s a rare beauty in that lo-fi clarity. Today we’re delighted to share his latest single with you: the premiere of Oh Winston, out on Friday, but streaming now on TRISTE©.

What He says: “This song is yet another drawn from my childhood roots growing up on a West Midlands council estate. It resides in the same emotional landscape as the latest album although it was written long after that was complete. This track originally had me conflicted. A part of me wanted to pare it down to a simple arrangement with sparse guitars and vocals. Another part of me wanted to go with an elaborate arrangement with strings and brass. I think, in the end, I ended up with neither of those things. Again I’ve kept the lyrics to a minimum which I’ve discovered I prefer and works well for me. Hinting at the story rather than telling the whole tale. This song is dedicated to Winston O’Connor. A beautiful kid I knew for a few short months when we were both at Primary school. I have no idea what happened to him. I only hope he’s still out there somewhere.”

Oh Winston will be out on September 5th. Look HERE for more information Shopfires.