Leicester musician Neil Hill launched Shopfires in late 2023 with Summer Bruises, a homespun jangly-pop gem that immediately caught the attention of Subjangle’s Darrin Lee and led to the release of Hill’s self-titled debut album in March 2024. A second full-length, Holding On to Let Go, followed just a few months later, confirming Shopfires as one of the most compelling new voices in intimate, guitar-driven indie pop. Working with little more than an acoustic guitar, warm keys, and a bedroom-DIY setup, Hill crafts shimmering, cascading melodies that echo Brighter, The Field Mice, Heavenly, and Television Personalities, yet retain a modern tenderness all his own. His songs glow with lo-fi clarity, introspective lyrics, and that unmistakable 80s-indie intelligence, familiar yet newly revived. As Shopfires continues to evolve, we’re thrilled to share the next chapter: We Could Fall Apart, the project’s brand-new single, streaming now in exclusive premiere on TRISTE© ahead of its official release on Wednesday.

What Neil Says: “With the last Shopfires single Oh Winston I’d toyed with the idea of adding strings and brass in the hope of giving it a wider orchestral sound, but in the end decided to keep the track a little more restrained. When it came to this new song the strings felt a more natural fit so I just leant into it. Adding more instrumentation than is usual for a Shopfires song, listen closely you’ll hear some piano and celeste tucked in there to add a little rounded warmth. If the reaction to this subtle change in sound is positive. I may consider an EP/mini album of pseudo orchestrated tracks. Lyrically, I’m still dropping hints rather than telling stories.“

We Could Fall Apart will be out on Wednesday, December 10th. Look HERE for more information on Shopfires.