HILLSBORO to Release New EP THIS IS ME IF I WAS YOU
The Vancouver band shares the standout lead single My God ahead of the EP's release via their label Play Dead.
Hillsboro—the Vancouver-based band of Nima Walker (vocals, guitar), Dexter Hodgins (violin), Sam Wells (guitar), Oliver Hollingshead (drums), and Layten Kramer (bass)—announced their new EP this is me if i was you will be released on November 13th, 2026 via their own label play dead. They also shared the EP's standout lead single 'My God,' which sees them level up their dynamic sound as tightly woven guitars and an intoxicating groove build to an emotionally charged chorus. 'This song is about being in a vulnerable state at the end of a relationship, where you're sort of quietly bewildered by what you've just been through, and you feel willing to destroy whatever is necessary to make space for a new way of being,' Walker reflects. 'It was our first time allowing ourselves to record a song quickly without leaving time to overthink, which defined the new direction our creative process is going in.'
Hillsboro have solidified their place in the Pacific Northwest scene with a kinetic, emotional live presence and a DIY ethos extending to their self-run record label. On their new EP, the band channels the raw energy of their live performances and the heart of their deep friendship into a riveting, genre-blending collection that spans emo, alt rock, lo-fi folk, and electronic. this is me if i was you showcases the resilience of lyricist Walker as he learns to break his destructive cycles, and proves the power of connection and community in making it through your darkest days.
Across the EP, Hillsboro explores the decay of relationships, the process of grief, and the attempt to build something positive from what's left behind. But these songs do not dwell in isolation or loneliness; instead, they document what happens when people refuse to face those things alone. Over the years, Hillsboro's music has increasingly become an extension of the relationships between its five members, who have intertwined their lives through friendship, music, touring, and the simple act of spending time together–creating a sense of family and belonging.
Recorded at The Hive in Victoria, BC alongside producer Colin Stewart, the band's main focus for the EP was to make the biggest emotional impact possible. 'We are all producers and very detail-oriented, but we believe music should have an immediacy that hits your nervous system before anything else,' they say. 'If something is in the way of that, it needs to go.' Hillsboro's cathartic soundscapes somehow feel maximal and intimate at once; dissonant guitars collide with crisp melodic passages, blown-out drum breaks, intricate rhythms, and layers of texture. this is me if i was you proves the band is comfortable enough to break down, generous enough to light up, and attentive enough to know exactly when to let an audience in. The band feels it's their most fully-formed vision yet: carefully constructed, yet willing to collapse; deeply personal yet inseparable from the people that made it possible.
On this is me if i was you, Hillsboro arrives with a fresh confidence, introducing themselves as one of Vancouver's most promising emerging acts.
Tracklist
1. My God
2. Don't (wait)
3. The sky reminds me of you now, pt. 2 (feat. mieke?)
Photo Credit: Halle Jean March
Photo Credit: Halle Jean March
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