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©.

Lightning in a Twilight Hour is the current project of Bobby Wratten, best known as the songwriter behind beloved indie pop group The Field Mice. What began as a new chapter has gradually grown into something of a reunion, with Anne Mari Davies and Michael Hiscock—both former Field Mice members—now central to the lineup. Together, they channel the wistful melodicism, introspection, and experimental spirit that made their earlier work so enduring, while also carving out new sonic territory. The band’s forthcoming third album sessions have already yielded a striking standalone 12″ single on Elefant Records, pairing two contrasting tracks. There’s More to Life Than Crooks is a six-minute piece that draws on the influence of Factory Records and Disco Inferno, combining drum machine, sequencer, and abrasive guitar textures with a luminous bassline from Hiscock. Written as an immediate reaction to world events, it embraces the Camus-inspired idea that “existence is an act of rebellion,” offering a pop song that shimmers with both urgency and beauty. Anne Mari Davies’ vocals soar on the chorus, lifting the track to radiant heights. On the reverse, Haar abandons pop form for something spectral: field recordings, feedback loops, shortwave radio, field recordings made at Dungeness, and Davies’ layered, wordless vocals drifting through an ominous landscape. Produced with longtime collaborator Ian Catt these songs extend Wratten’s long tradition of music as refuge and reflection — tender, searching, and never quite at rest. And today, we are proud to host the exclusive premiere of this magnificent single here on TRISTE©.