Horsegirl Phonetics On and On LP

There is something about the bitter cold in Chicago that unites the city in January — the two weeks in 2024 that Horsegirl spent recording Phonetics On and On were some of the coldest days in Chicago that year. With the heating off in The Loft to avoid sound interference, the band was bundled in multiple sweaters and sitting on their hands between takes. Working closely with musician/producer Cate Le Bon (Deerhunter, Kurt Vile, Wilco) Horsegirl found focus and intimacy in the studio that can only arise when it's simply too cold to step outside. Abandoning the heavy saturation and character studies of Versions of Modern Performance, Le Bon leads them into new, bright, clear, sonic territories that highlight the inventive nature of these new songs.

After playing together for four years, Horsegirl explores the limits of the trio configuration within Phonetics On and On — what if instead of filling out songs with distortion, they utilized the expanse that the three of them didn't occupy? This question seems to be the motivating force behind the record, and the songs are a testament to experimenting with space and texture while maintaining a pop song at the core. New tools help bring this world to life; violins, synths, and gamelan tiles are all woven into the record with complete effect.

The album's lead single, '2468,' is jangly and playful like a Moldy Peaches track, while the edge of its noisy, animated escalation gives it a fresh, math-rock feel.

New song '2468' is out now, a twisting, turning indie rock puzzle that operates to its own rules – an extra-dimensional pop song, it epitomizes the originality that has made Horsegirl so lauded right from the get-go.