Horsegirl: Phonetics On And On (Matador Records: 2025)
It¦s December, which means it¦s that time of year when people start composing their “year in review” playlists. Consequently, it¦s a good time to start recommending albums released this year that I really think you should listen to!
Leading off that list is Phonetics On And On by Horsegirl. I loved Horsegirl¦s previous album (Versions Of Modern Performance), and was a little uncertain how to feel about this one, considering its much softer, more mellow sound. After a year of listening to it: I feel good. The simple, rhythmic basslines and percussion; the soothing vocal harmonies; the willingness to just sit with a vibe for three or four minutes of running time —: I have come to love all of these things, and they have brought me peace in a year full of stressors. I am glad that Horsegirl has not felt constrained to the harsher noises of their previous output and have instead directed that technical excellence in a more open, airy, and loving direction.
If you ever played HUGPUNX in 2013, back when the internet was dominated indie games and indie game developers were going thru their “cutie” phase, this album is like that minus the Twitter threads and problematic cultural ambassadors. It is not, and makes no pretensions of being, punk, radical, or subversive. But it also is all of those things, in the way that just being yourself always is.
Favourite track: There are so many good ones; I really don¦t think this album has duds. But I¦ll pick “Sport Meets Sound” as my favourite. I will say, going thru the process of buying a house and getting engaged this past year, that “Julie” was often playing in my head as well 😜.