Orlando music lifer Jeff Hindman drops new EP as dreamy duo Shampoo Tears

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Orlando's Jeff Hindman’s brand-new vehicle Shampoo Tears drops EP

From the sheer range of his taste and pursuits, Orlando’s Jeff Hindman is a music head after my own heart. OG ravers around here remember the pounding drum-and-bass sets by DJ Jeffee from the dance-music golden era of the 1990s. Longtime Americana scenesters should recall the vintage country stylings of DJ White Lightning (of WPRK radio show “Pickin’ Grinnin’ and Sinnin’”) and classic country band Giddy Up Go. But probably few know that Hindman was the same guy wearing all these guises.

In establishing a name in both those two unlikely poles on the music spectrum, this local chameleon has cut one of the most interesting footprints in Orlando music history. If you’re still scratching your head over the duality of Hindman’s interests, his latest project might just scramble your brain altogether. 

Jeff Hindman’s brand-new vehicle is a band project called Shampoo Tears that’s rooted in neither dance nor country but rather indie pop. Currently a duo of songwriter Hindman and lead guitarist Hope Russo, Shampoo Tears officially debuts today with the release of the Benji EP.

The album’s four tracks introduce the band with a sound that rides a dreamy frequency between synth-pop and jangle-pop. The soft electronics set a wispy backdrop for the balmy melodies, while the chiming guitars lend organic tones and gentle sparkle. With sweet and economical arrangements, Shampoo Tears arrive on the scene like a beckoning zephyr. While the band rehearses to eventually become a live act, Benji is now available both digitally  for download/streaming and as a limited-edition cassette on Bandcamp.