At their recent Windmill headline, we spoke with the band about new music, hair-brained Halloween costumes and the potential for their own ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.

On a surprisingly warm Thursday in March, Bristolian outfit The Cindys energise the glittering setting of the Windmill Brixton. Only a year after forming, The Cindys are creating some of the finest jangly rock-pop music going. Brimming with hooky, clean-cut guitar melodies and surreal, melancholic imagery, the band is full of melodic charm and ambitious dynamism. Consisting of singer/guitarists Jack Ogbourne (also known for his solo project Bingo Fury), Naima Bock and Finlay Burrows, alongside bassist Isaac Green and drummer Ewan Ferguson (both from the Belishas), The Cindys are a tight unit that celebrates each member’s talents. Having released their self-titled debut album last winter and with another in the works, they are a band full of relentless energy. I spoke with them ahead of their headline show at the Windmill Brixton, where they were supported by Vehicle and Pushbike.

The bedrock of the group is their songs. Despite officially forming only last year, the initial concept of The Cindys emerged three years ago. As the founding member Jack puts it, “I just had a bunch of songs, and I knew who to call.” Enlisting Ewan and Finlay,The Cindys began as a three-piece, recording their first two tracks, ‘Dry TV’ and ‘Issac’s Body’, with Holiday Ghosts guitarist Sam Stacpoole at the Cornish Bank in Falmouth. As drummer Ewan recollects, these sessions were an exciting experience, not least because he played behind the vault’s bars, “like I was trapped in a cage.” Following an initial tour with an early iteration of Vehicle (as Perspex), the three-piece became a five-piece. “I wanted to expand the lineup to do the songs justice,” Jack reveals, “and these beauties [gesturing towards Naima and Isaac] came along for the ride.” This switch to a broader band composition is evident in the cohesion they have on stage. With a richer sound deriving from their array of instrumentation, the band has a similar infectious power to the supergroup collaboration of 1968’s The Dirty Mac. Tracks like ‘Eternal Pharmacy’ are high-octane, with the heavier guitar riffs and drums pummelling towards the song’s conclusion, whilst the murkiness of ‘Dish Water’ feels ever-more encompassing when heard live.

“It didn’t feel complete until Naima sang on it.”

Despite each member’s commitments to other projects, The Cindys possess an undeniable magnetism that continually draws them back together. Ewan, who divides his time with his role as singer/guitarist for the Belishas, notes that being a part of The Cindys provides a rare opportunity to play drums live. “It’s a really fun exploration of music that I haven’t played, but I’ve always loved, on an instrument I’ve always loved playing.”

Naima, having released two acclaimed solo albums since departing Goat Girl, says, “It’s mostly about the songs.” Her arrival marked a pivotal moment for The Cindys, particularly for their vocals. After hearing the band record at the Louisiana in Bristol between Christmas and New Year’s, Naima joined, and Jack remarked that her inclusion completed the sound they had been striving for three years. “It didn’t feel complete until Naima sang on it, then it just fit.” Performing live, Naima’s harmonies on tracks like ‘Dry TV’ are evocative and intimate, providing a delicate balance to Jack’s spoken-word vocal style.

While The Cindys thrive as musicians, their bond is equally rooted in deep friendship. Most members have known each other for years; Ewan and Isaac, remarkably, have been friends since birth, born just three days apart. They all take tremendous joy in performing together, with Jack summing it up: “It’s so much fun playing with these guys.” Their debut album was the culmination of songs Jack had written that didn’t fit with Bingo Fury. The next, which he lets us know is in the pipeline, is a more unified vision, capturing “the sound we’ve been able to establish together, recorded in one place, at one time and with the same intention.” Audiences were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of this collaborative evolution at the Windmill, where the band debuted a new track, ‘(I Just) Can’t See You’, written and performed by guitarist Finlay. This captivating and melodious tune sees the band develop a more ‘70s singer/songwriter approach, with allusions to The Lemon Twigs and Cut Worms, whilst maintaining their characteristic jangle pop style. It’s an intriguing insight into what we can anticipate next from the band.

“I remember being completely and utterly obsessed.”

Recorded live at Le Trabendo and released just a day before their Windmill gig, The Cindys’ cover of Alex Chilton’s ‘All of the Time’ adds an upbeat and anthemic layer to their growing repertoire. Alongside Chilton, the group cites Orange Juice, Dead Moon and Beat Happening as other key influences. Yet, when asked which album inspired them to pursue music, their answers are far more varied and genre-spanning. Isaac and Ewan both recall childhood CDs that shaped their idea of what a band could be; for Isaac, Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ made him conscious of a band’s dynamics; for Ewan, it was The Clash’s ‘Singles’ which he “played on a portable CD player before it broke.” Cate Le Bon’s first record, ‘Me Oh My’, is Naima’s response, while Jack names The Strokes’ ‘Is This It’ and their MTV $2 Bill performance video: “I watched it three times in a row.” Finlay, who admits, “I didn’t get into rock music until I was 11 or 12,” brings a classic to the table in the form of The Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, singling out ‘A Day in the Life’: “I just didn’t know that could be a song.”

When tasked with discerning a film that sums up The Cindys’ essence, resident film expert Finlay (as the band nominate him) imagines an ‘80s suburban coming-of-age movie set in summer. Without necessarily pinpointing a specific film, the band agrees they project a brighter disposition: “We’re not a downtown band, or city or countryside band.” Ewan, reflecting on their recent tour, throws in a curveball: ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ by The Beatles. “It has nothing to do with the band itself, but rather the kind of goofy pop-like band with all these characters doing this and that.” “We liken ourselves to a kind of Beatles”, Jack jokes, and while said in jest, the camaraderie they shared on tour makes the parallel hard to ignore.

Supporting shame and Getdown Services on their European tours last Autumn (alongside two headline gigs in Aarhus and Aalborg), The Cindys made real strides in 2025. Munich stands out as a tour highlight for the band. “It was the first proper show,” Isaac recalls, “Halloween. We all went to the charity shop, trying to scrape something together. Well, apart from Naima, who actually planned something.” Naturally, a dissection of their cobbled-together last-minute costumes emerged: Naima’s pre-planned Annie costume was the clear winner, followed by Jack’s knight outfit. Isaac’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shell remains stashed in the merch bag, whilst Finlay’s sailor costume reminded the group more of a ‘90s Jean Paul Gauiter model. Ewan’s was perhaps the most “mixed-bag”, as he describes it. What he thought was white face paint that would effect a vampiric look turned out to be prosthetic adhesive. “I just covered myself in really crap fake blood and put wax in it. It was really, really vague.” Beyond the gigs, Naima reflects on how much she enjoyed Copenhagen, with Jack’s highlight was the city’s Osbourne Bar – “That’s where we got pick and mixes,” Isaac adds. And for a behind-the-scenes treat, the band hints at a reaction video hitting TikTok this month: “Check it out, if you want to see us react to strange Danish sweets.”

“Serving the song is the key thing.”

The Cindys are relentless and energetic. With only eight months as a band under their belt, they played almost 50 shows last year. Despite the high number of gigs, they rarely get any rehearsal time together. Isaac reveals that before the Windmill, the last time they rehearsed was on the 30^th of October. “We all live in different cities, so we don’t always get together as much as we’d want.” Nevertheless, the band are as sharp as ever. They may not have rehearsed since October, but their performance at the Windmill gives no indication – tracks like ‘Glass Shattered’ and ‘Issac’s Body’ are propulsive and rhythmic, a feeling captured in the liveliness of Isaac and Finlay’s movements on stage. The band has an irresistible momentum that the crowd cannot help but indulge in. For Jack, the success of their live performances lies in the objective to “try and do the best version of the song as you can, rather than find a new corner of the song you haven’t found before.” Finlay has a different take, claiming that “we’ve always kept a bit of looseness.” Regardless of their diverse performance approaches, The Cindys, in the words of drummer Ewan, ensure that the “idea is best presented and sounds the best it can.” Perhaps the standout of the evening is their heartbreaking presentation of ‘Baby’s on the Page’. Adopting a quasi-poetic soliloquy, ‘Baby’s on the Page’ showcases the band’s skilful ability to master disparate tones, culminating in the most emotionally-fuelled track of the night.

Wrapping up our discussion, the band was tasked with uncovering a question they’ve always wanted to be asked but never have. Isaac put forward his desire to be asked, “What’s everyone’s favourite bird?” or “What’s everyone’s favourite crisp?”, and Naima recalls one from a previous interview: “What’s everyone’s favourite fizzy drink?” Ewan adopts a more profound approach with the existential “Why?”, whilst Finlay bemoans the fact that, given the opportunity to ask any question in the world, they have landed on “What’s your favourite crisp?” Taking a more music-centric approach, Jack states that he appreciates when he gets the chance to shout out his current favourite artists. “It’s interesting to know what people are tapped into.” Offering this question back to the band, a broad list develops, involving Bristolian classics like Foot Foot and Mildred; friends such as Evelyn Gray, Myer U Clark and Hoy Chorale; performing partners including Nina Winder-Lind, Bramwell and Ike Goldman; and of course their supports Vehicle, Pushbike and Motorcycle.

One of Bristol’s most exciting acts, The Cindys are a band whose live presence is unmissable. Confirmed for this year’s Green Man Festival and playing both Outer Town and Wanderfal this April, amongst recording their next album, they show no signs of slowing down. They are a group of close-knit friends, with an energetic passion for music, songs that feel both deeply intimate and abstract, and they’re only just getting started. The Cindys are definitely ones to become keen advocates for.