The material of dreams. That’s the first thing that springs to mind when you hear Horse Jumper Of Love for the first time. It was the same with their debut, the self-titled album which celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. The songs evoked a dreamlike quality and took shoegaze down unusual paths, reminiscent of John Maus or Joy Division here and there, with some surprising touches. The Boston trio haven’t looked back since. A classic line-up – guitar, bass and drums – in the hands of Dimitri Giannopoulos, John Margaris and Jamie Vadala-Doran. Their latest album, Disaster Trick (2024), refines the formula. In a somewhat unexpected way, it’s more understated, more slowcore.
Horse Jumper Of Love embodies this sort of revival of 1990s indie that has been underway for about a decade, though it has yet to be fully established. It is not a replication or a tribute, but rather a recognition that that sound reflected a particular era. The search for a sound, as an idea, opened up various paths for those who simply wanted to pick up a guitar, bass and drums. One can approach this through the lens of renewal as tradition, following the threads of traditional music. Perhaps it is even a way for pop/rock music to claim a place as a traditional genre. This quest has led to songs that are listened to through a contemporary lens. Dimitri Giannopoulos, the band’s lead singer, explores these themes in his lyrics, blending a Low/Red House Painters vibe with the urgency demanded by the times, because this is an era of great dissatisfaction. And that’s where John Maus and Joy Division spring to mind: a viable, justifiable path that suits them very well. In the dreams of Horse Jumper Of Love, one looks up at the sky. One looks up at the sky hoping that there exists an idea of boundlessness up there, providing the only satisfactory answer for today. Dimitri leaves ideas hanging, both in his writing and in the way he carries his voice, at times setting it free into the air, as if that idea were endless, that dream could never end, or that the end need not be determined by the very notion of an end. A somewhat romantic, even tragic, idea from a musician who seems unwilling to face what lies ahead. It is fascinating that there is still the courage for such a thing.
AS

Digital Device is an alternative rock band from Lisbon exploring the space between melody and dissonance. Drawing inspiration from the experimentation of bands such as Fugazi, Sonic Youth, The Breeders, Slint, Hum, and Smashing Pumpkins, the band crafts songs defined by noisy guitars, unpredictable dynamics, and a constant search for tension and release.
Moving between moments of raw intensity, atmospheric passages, and unconventional structures, Digital Device seeks to balance experimentation with accessibility, creating music that can either erupt into distortion or reveal an immediate melodic sensibility.
Over the past months, the band has been establishing itself on the live circuit across several venues and events in the Lisbon area, including a recent opening performance for Táxi at the Oeiras Festival.
In 2026, Digital Device will release its first collection of studio recordings with the EP Welcome to the World, preceded by the singles Space Vision and Misty. Across five tracks, the EP explores different territories of alternative rock, blending energy, noise, melody, and moments of introspection in a debut release that aims to establish a distinctive artistic identity.