Ground Control Touring

Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On

We were kids, lined around the block; it was the summer of 2021 and Horsegirl was headlining Schubas Tavern. Our eyes were glowing and true as rockets of noise filled the room. There were legs and arms and bodies and hope and suddenly, there was a home for all of us, and we realized that this would be the hour from which our future sprung forth. Even from these early moments, Horsegirl possessed an honesty that has resonated with listeners. It is a spirit they have honored on their second album, Phonetics On and On, an exploration of the lines between pop, minimalism and playful experimentation.

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.

One of my favorite moments of experimentation on the record is “2 4 6 8,” whose Raincoats-like violin parts and kinetic percussion elevate the song’s finale towards the same dynamic power of the Velvet Underground’s “Heroin.” The band relay that “2 4 6 8” was written almost entirely in the studio, as a result of Le Bon pushing them to lean entirely into the process of recording. It is an achieved byproduct of rewriting and rearranging, adding and subtracting, flash-moments of instability, and embracing the unexpected result. There’s also the album’s centerpiece “Julie,” whose synth drones become an ocean for Penelope’s vocals to sail above, all while Nora’s wonderfully avant-garde Rosa Yemen-like anti-solo’s pierce the woven sea.

Since their debut release in 2022, much has changed for the band. In the fall of that year, they relocated to New York City, where Penelope and Nora were to attend NYU. It was the first time the trio had written music outside of Penelope’s parents’ basement. You can hear the push in a new direction by virtue of their new environment, but through this time of unparalleled change, the band turns inward. They write with unanticipated honesty, leading us through scenes of girlhood and youth. Friends gathered around the kitchen table, smiling. Silent walks down cold streets as words freeze in air. Quiet mornings reading in bed with your partner sleeping beside you. The indelible truth is that Horsegirl is a band of best friends; being around them you can see that love in their eyes and it is always a joyous thing to witness.

It’s a love that is ever-present in Phonetics On and On. From the first seconds of “Where’d You Go?,” tenderness reverberates back and forth across the recording. Gigi’s dancing drum melodies and Penelope’s bright guitar leads direct your attention to the band’s chemistry and mastery of form. Horsegirl has the same playful rhythmic sensibilities of bands like The Feelies and Young Marble Giants, while still carving a path of their own. There is a confident simplicity to the songs of Phonetics On and On that brings the band’s songwriting ability to the forefront. These are songs to dance to.

Despite living in New York for the last three years, it was very important to the band to record their second album in Chicago. This is their home, both physically and sonically. Their music continues to blend with the adventurous Hallogallo music scene, which includes bands like Lifeguard (and their many side projects), TV Buddha, and Twin Coast. It’s a scene that prides itself on the pure collaboration of DIY culture, with its many house shows and zines. It’s an energy that is tangible in Phonetics On and On.

It’s hard to imagine any of these songs being written by anyone but Nora, Penelope, and Gigi. These are the moments of their lives. This truth arrives from the handmade core of the record, like a tapestry, or a journal; underlined, circled, and loved. Latching the door in place for all those who wish to follow.

-Eli Schmitt

Eli Schmitt is a long-time friend of Horsegirl, currently residing in Chicago. They are the editor of Unresolved fanzine, promoter of the New Now series of all-ages shows and YouTube channel, as well as a musician in multiple bands including TV Buddha and Post Office Winter.