Vancouver-based emo/shoegaze quintet Hillsboro are carving out a distinct place within the Canadian DIY scene with the release of their highly anticipated EP A Party in Your Name, a project born out of necessity and an act of survival as much as expression.
As the band puts it, “In my early twenties, addiction shaped the landscape of my life, distorting my sense of self and stability. When I finally reached a turning point, I found myself unprepared for what came next: facing reality without the numbing presence of substances. The music on this record chronicles that reckoning—an unfiltered confrontation with my past, my regrets, and my hope for something better.”
Each song functions as its own emotional vortex or space, where the band processes the chaos and aftermath associated with addiction.
The band tested early versions of these songs in live performances, allowing the energy of those moments to shape the tracks’ final form.
With collaboration from acclaimed Canadian producer Colin Stewart (Black Mountain, The New Pornographers), the EP became a dialogue between the raw volatility of their live shows and the quieter introspection of songwriting, balancing destruction and recovery, grief and resilience.
The opening track, “Hot GirlTM,” arrives as a static-soaked, fuzzy opener that is loud, chaotic, and steeped in processing through the noise. Fuzzy guitars drive the track forward while vocals function more as a gentle supporting layer within the muddy sonic universe the band establishes in just 3 minutes and 38 seconds.
The second track, “woah,” follows with a melody that scratches a particular itch for anyone who grew up on 90s and early 2000s alternative. It pushes forward with momentum, again placing vocals more in a supporting role than the lead. Instead, it is the wailing, distorted guitars sitting deeper in the mix and the driving guitars up front that define its shape, anchored by steady, raw drums that firmly place the listener inside the band’s world.
With a whirling drum and bass, backbeat rhythm opening, “acid horror” and then peaks through at quieter moments where the guitars fall through. It’s a track that sounds like pure catharsis to sing out to, as it’s scream-singing. The raw drums are the star here, pumping the track full of energy and acting as the driving force for the song to blast off.
“Cost Evaluation” relies on minimal lyrics and simple vocal melodies, allowing space for the band to build dynamic contrast through soft, controlled explosions that let the track soar. At around the 1:40 mark, it shifts more aggressively, leaning into intensity and release, ultimately positioning the song as a study in catharsis through restraint and impact.
On the quieter side is “ACAB,” an acoustic track that showcases delayed, warm guitar tones that surround the listener, almost acting as a reprieve from the chaos.
Rolling in after is “e girls 4 president,” driven by a manic hi-hat pattern that fires forward like an unstoppable bullet. It allows the vocals to sit more comfortably in the mix, carrying a simple melody and heartfelt lyrics that mirror the intent behind the more frantic elements surrounding it. The track breaks into full scream singing around the 1- minute and 50-second mark, bringing everything to a head before transforming again toward the end, showcasing the band’s range in sonic playfulness and their ability to move effortlessly between textures and moods.
“Top 5 Ways To Kill Yourself,” a personal favorite, encapsulates the overall sentiment of the record in 2 minutes and 48 seconds. Melodically straightforward but structurally strong, it does a clear job of distilling the mood of the project into a concise, impactful moment.
Gentle layering, acoustic guitar, and soft lo-fi beat textures sit within a rhythmic repetition that feels hypnotic and understated. “thinking of you” acts like an open wound, vulnerable and cyclical, with lyrics that subtly land philosophical truths, including the line “nothing ever truly disappears.”
Alongside the release, they also share A Party in Your Name, a short film in collaboration with director Kit Baronas of BELLAGONIST. The body horror love story was shot on 35mm film and set in the fictional rural town of Bethel, described as a place existing somewhere between the prairies and a headache, where people do not go to die so much as fade into nothing.
The short film threads together themes of youth, intimacy, and consequence, mirroring the emotional intent of the record.
In totality, the EP stands not only as a document of personal experience but as a testament to the universal struggle of addiction and healing, and the fragile balance between the two.
