HORSEGIRL

Versions Of Modern Performance (Matador)

Horsegirl have managed to encapsulate their overlapping, likeminded styles and friendship into a carefully crafted postpunk debut, Versions of Modern Performance, honouring underground music scenes with fuzzy, hooky undercurrents and light interludes akin to Brian Eno’s Apollo.

While many bands fall victim to the tendency to polish up their efforts to be unrecognisable, Versions Of Modern Performance finds the Chicago trio resisting that temptation. Mostly managing to stay textually familiar, this is still the Horsegirl of 2020 EP Best Of Horsegirl: trebly, abrasive guitars upfront, no wave and shoegaze influences on the likes of Bog Bog 1, while the presence of producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Waxahatchee, The Breeders) hangs overhead.

Homage To Birdnoculars entangles Sonic Youth-fused lines that revisit themselves tenfold with twists and turns: pounding drum fills and a haunting vocal refrain “fall into my wormhole” that later unravels itself like a spiral of thought. Live And Ski is playfully noisy, while Beautiful Song is glittery and atmospherically driven, making up for its name twice over. 

words EMMA WAY