ALBUM REVIEW: Horsebeach - 'Horsebeach'

Rating:

Unlike many dream pop outfits that have dropped debut albums in recent years, Horsebeach tend to not drench their sound in reverb, but rather decorate the wonderfully entwined basslines and guitar-picking with dashes of it. The vocal melodies are much more prominent than you might expect too, and this makes for a much less lifeless-sounding record than you might have come to expect from indie bands nowadays.

Opener and lead single, ‘Faded Eyes’, sounds like waking up on a California beach to find that world peace has been achieved. An effortless sounding melody seeps through the beautifully crafted composition with nods towards Ride and Real Estate, as vocalist Ryan Kennedy nostalgically recalls “You’d hide the tears that fall from your faded eyes” in a haunting manor. Despite changes stylistically to incorporate synth elements into some tracks, the album flows effortlessly along with Krautrock, post-punk and psychedelia all being hinted at within the Horsebeach sound. ‘Midnight’ sounds somewhat reminiscent of Birmingham’s JAWS,with a Kraftwerk-esque synth pattern in their too. The track changes the direction of the record, as we begin to see a different side to the blissful shimmering sound that’s quickly been established as Horsebeach’s very own. ‘What Problem?’ manages to mix post-punk, morbid lyricism – provided by an echo-heavy vocal – with dreamy, pop-infused guitar tones and catchy drum fills, as Kennedy asks “My love, how could you die if you’ve never lived?” on my favorite track on the record. The record finishes on three of the more optimistic tracks, with probably the three simplest instrumentations.

The record oozes authenticity; it’s evident that it was written, recorded and mixed by Ryan. Horsebeach’s self-titled album is one of the finest debuts I have heard for a long time. It’s easy to see why the record has already sold out online and at various record stores.

Marty Hill