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Born of a transformative period for the group, Hillsboro's latest EP White Trash sees the band push their sound into uncharted territory, embracing newfound musical freedom and an unapologetic emotional rawness. Informed heavily by the sounds developed over an intensive run of live performances, moments of White Trash had initially been intended to appear on Hillsboro's 2023 debut, but it became clear to frontman Nima Walker and the group over this stretch that these songs needed their world to live in.

The record's opener "sleep dealrrr" delivers on the band's signature blend of grit and vulnerability but expands it into something far more natural and immersive. The song embodies this transformative period for the group with its volatile energy and swaths of distorted violins and noise-laden guitar parts. Walker's impassioned vocal performance gives the song its undeniable emotional backbone, especially on the track's hook as he repeatedly croons into the ether, "I hate you when you do that."

The EP's titular track came to life from a spontaneous jam session initiated by bassist Tucker Hoey. What began as a joke quickly became one of Hillsboro's most recognizable live tracks. Featuring Hoey's crushing distorted bass lines laying the perfect foundation for Walker's intense, passionate vocals, the record's midway point is a sonic experience unlike anything the group has delivered. It is an all-consuming chaos tornado of a song, and we can't get enough.

The enigmatic and moving "Fell" closes the record with a bang. The final excavates grief with ceaseless physical energy, using rigid guitar riffs reminiscent of Deftones and Title Fight to give way to screeching violin leads and vividly heartbreaking vocal performances from Walker. The song effortlessly moves through screaming and chest-punching sections, constantly wavering on the edge of breaking apart but always pulling itself back together at the last second.

White Trash is a spectacular blend of early '90s shoegaze with an infectious rhythm section, haunting violin, and Walker's plaintive vocals, creating a balance between nostalgia and originality. It doesn't shy away from delving into Walker's adolescent struggles, with themes of self-destruction and resentment at the forefront. Offering ceaseless energy and immaculate DIY production, White Trash often teeters on the brink of chaos yet always maintains its sharp focus.

Listen to White Trash below: