Holy Pinto

Holy Pinto

Holy Pinto is an indie pop and pop punk group that forms as a two-piece in Manchester in 2013. The project starts with longtime school friends who meet while finishing college and begin writing music together in an abandoned mill in the city. The band also has a connection to Canterbury, England, where the members are from, and the act is later active as a touring group in the UK and mainland Europe.

Style and influences

The group draws on indie pop and pop punk, with songs that range from aggressive material to breezier and more melodic tracks. Its early writing is shaped by bands such as The Front Bottoms, Death Cab for Cutie and Say Anything. The music is described through contrasts of happy and sad moods, with an approach that combines raw energy and varied songwriting.

Releases and recording

Holy Pinto releases a couple of EPs within its first eight months together, before building itself as a live act. One later EP, Stenography, shifts towards more playful lyrical writing while keeping the band’s gritty edge. That release is made with Vince Ratti, who works with Wonder Years and Tigers Jaw, and the studio process adds extra detail to the duo’s sound. The EP includes “Tooth”, “Swim” and “Daughter”; “Tooth” is the lead single and “Daughter” presents a bittersweet view of an unsettled relationship.

Live activity

After the early EPs, the group tours the UK extensively and later plays in mainland Europe. Its live work follows from the two-piece format and the band’s early focus on developing as a touring act.

Other notes

The project is associated with an animated video for “Tooth” created by Sam Cox.