Hillsboro delivers a cathartic blend of early 90s shoegaze, infectious rhythms, haunting violin, and the plaintive vocals of Nima Walker, striking a balance between nostalgic and original sounds. Their self-titled LP earned critical praise from outlets like *Exclaim!*, *Under the Radar*, and *Cups & Cakes Network* for its dark pop sensibility, inviting listeners to embrace everyday angst. In their latest EP, *White Trash*, Walker delves deeper into his adolescence, exploring themes of self-destruction and resentment. Though darker than *HILLSBORO*, the EP makes up for it with relentless energy and polished production, self-recorded in Victoria, BC. Hillsboro creates a space where fear and shame are not hidden but shared and torn apart, building a community that embraces its pain rather than conceals it.
Name:
Hillsboro
Genre:
Nu-gaze, or alt-emo.
Founded:
2019
# of albums:
One LP, with 3 full EPs too.
Latest album:
Hillsboro (self-titled)
Latest Single:
Sleep Dealrrr, from our latest EP, White Trash.
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Soundgarden or Queens of the Stone Age. Riffs had my heart (still do, to be honest).
Favourite musician now:
So many to pick from! Really depends on what I’m feeling, but I’ve been listening to the new Horse Jumper of Love album a lot (Disaster Trick), as well as the new Armlock (Seashell Angel Lucky Charm).
Guilty pleasure song:
Maybe Bikini by Nick Leon and Erika de Casier? Poppy and danceable, always have me in a good mood.
Live show ritual:
We don’t really have a ritual for live shows, just get up there and get going. However, while we’re playing we’re almost always a little rowdy. We like building an energy with the audience and living in it with them.
EP or LP?
This I truly can’t decide. It’s like books, some short stories are better than some books, and vice versa. It’s really about what’s actually in there.
Early Bird or Night Owl?
Night Owl, I think.
Road or Studio?
Impossible. Both? Am I allowed to say that? Again, they each have their merits and I feel like it’s a day-to-day, week-to-week kinda thing.
Where can we follow you?
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
In Vancouver, I’d definitely say Ginger Sushi, it’s nostalgic now but also just so high quality and comfortable, soothing even. In Vic, I have to say Al Barak. Best Falafel I’ve ever had, hands down.
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
I grew up and still live in Fernwood in Vic, and my favourite street is definitely now Taunton Street. It’s a little cul de sac a few blocks away from mine and it has so much character crammed into a tiny little street. I love going for walks at night to just get out and kinda relax or clear my head from whatever the day has thrown at me, and a walk under the stars always has to include Taunton for me now. In Vancouver, I think my favourite is Pandora simply because Green Auto is there, and that place and the people who run it are wonderful.
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
I think my favourite right now is Moss Rock Park, as I said before I walk a lot and it’s a place I end up at a lot. It’s a perfect place to just take things in, if that makes sense. It’s also fairly close to some of my favourite beaches.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
I always enjoy playing the Capital Ballroom in Victoria as the sound is generally good and I love being on an elevated stage. My favourite venue to play at overall though is the aforementioned Green Auto here in Vancouver. Everything there is just… perfect. Perfect.
What is your favourite music store in your city?
Supreme Echo in Victoria for sure. I don’t go there as much as some other places, but the owner Jason Flower is one of the most knowledgeable guys I’ve ever met, and he makes a point of building a personal relationship with pretty much anyone who comes in. It’s funny to say that my favourite is a place I don’t go to as much as others, but that’s purely because the things I want not always being what he’d carry. When it does line up though, Jason at Supreme Echo is the guy.
