Hikes: “Onset”

In an age where mental gymnastics can be necessary just to make it through a day of headlines, sometimes you just need to disconnect from it all and take your mind on some musical Hikes. The Austin-based four-piece was formed around half a decade ago, unified by a shared love of nature, friendship, and of course, indie math rock. With each member providing vocals, Hikes’ bold sound is densified by the instrumental abilities of Nathan James Wilkins (guitar), Will Kauber (guitar), Chris Long (drums), and Colin Jenkins (bass).

Hikes made their name locally with their 2012 debut Archipelago, followed shortly thereafter by 2013’s Friends and the Hikes/Goldspine Split. By the release of their 2014 self-titled record, the group had established themselves not only across the United States, but had indeed become internationally known for their far-reaching dynamic range, spasmodic transitions, and tireless live performances. Seeing an opportunity for further international exposure, last November the four rockers packed their bags and headed to Tokyo’s HMC Studio to record and produce their upcoming four-track release, Lilt. Under legendary guitarist-producer Takaaki Mino (of Toe)’s supervision, Lilt features shorter songs than we’re used to, though a briefer runtime track-by-track thankfully doesn’t mean sacrificing any of the idiosyncrasies that make Hikes’ arrangements so compelling.

Lilt also marks the first time Hikes will have international distribution and will be released on June 9th locally via Community Records, but also in Europe and Japan via To Lose La Track and Stiff Slack Records, respectively. For a sneak preview of Hikes’ next phase of world domination, check out the second track from Lilt, “Onset”, at the bottom of the page. Trust me; it’ll make your day a heckuva lot better.

You can download “Onset” right here on KUTX. Lilt comes out on Friday, June 9th in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Hikes will be embarking on their second Japan tour, kicking off on June 12th. You can also catch the band at the Swan Dive on Saturday, May 6.
Jack Anderson (Host Monday – Wednesday 8-11pm, Saturday 6-10am)

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