Thursday, June 28, 2018

Holy Pinto

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Holy Pinto

Holy Pinto is an indie pop band from Canterbury, England led by singer and songwriter, Aymen Saleh. Playing colorful pop rock anthems through the lens of pop-punk and emo, Holy Pinto sings about love, growing up, the tyranny of distance and, often, the bittersweet taste of nostalgia.

Originally formed as a duo between Aymen and his friend, Ryan Hurley, the project released its debut record, Congratulations, in April of 2016 and embarked on a restless tour-schedule involving runs in the UK, Europe and United States to support the release. Receiving favorable coverage from websites such as the AV Club and The Alternative and Gold Flake Paint, Congratulations ruminated heavily on the choice of whether to take root and nurture close relationships or live headless-chickenly - chasing travel, experience and dreams of becoming a musician.

Aymen would end up choosing the latter - stripping out the backseats of the band’s passenger van to install a mattress and make-shift bedroom while on tour in the United States. The project became more of a solo endeavor and nomadic entity, but eventually settled on Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a home base from which to release the project’s upcoming EP - Tales from the Travelling T-shirt Salesman.


On this record, Aymen picks up where he left off on Congratulations – having decided to roll the dice on a musician’s life. This collection of songs is a bit more summery than their predecessors, and listeners will find themselves soaking in vibes similar to some of Aymen’s favorite Scandinavian indie-pop musicians, such as Jens Lekman. The twisted versions of latin, reggaeton and cumbia-inspired beats and grooves on tracks such as “Gold Leaf” and “Bitter Enemies” are blended smoothly with infectious, sing-along choruses creating a sound that is relatable but inherently unique.

With boxes of merchandise in tow, Aymen finds himself out on the road and spreading the gospel of Holy Pinto from town to town again. Whether the destination is a one-person town in Nebraska, an art space in Alabama, or a barn in rural Pennsylvania, the mission remains the same: travel, play songs, and sell t-shirts.

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