Presented by Spirit of 68 Hoops
Hoops was born in frontman Drew Auscherman ’s teenage bedroom as a solo ambient and beat-driven project à la Oneohtrix Point Never’s Replica. Auscherman named the band after the hoop houses at the nursery where he worked (not for his home state’s mania for basketball). Eventually he corralled a few of his friends to flesh out his songs, and the music inevitably shifted toward something new: more melodic, more guitar-driven, more extroverted. Fast forward to 2014, Hoops became a fully formed quartet. Since then, Hoops have released three cassette tapes and last year’s self-titled debut EP, which earned them praise from th e likes of The FADER, Stereogum, Gorilla vs. Bear, NME, and a track that hit #2 on S potify’s Global and U.S. Viral Charts .
The Indiana band craft hyper-melodic songs, built around power-pop chords, deceptively complex drum patterns, and rock-anthem sentiments that hide some tellingly dark thoughts. Three of the four members write and sing, each a frontman and a sideman simultaneously. During a live show, the bandmates can be seen frequently swapping instruments and positions on stage. The setup isn’t democratic so much as it is simply adaptable and committed: doing what the song demands, getting the sound just right.