Men I Trust is an indie band from Canada, quietly making hits like “Show Me How.” Known for their soft vocals and relaxing instruments, their new album “Equus Caballas” may be a different sound than what is expected. The words “Equus Caballas” is a scientific name for a horse, which may speak to the added energy of this album. I would say this new album leans more into the 80’s vibe, with funky bass and blaring synth instrumentals.
The album kicks off with the song “To Ease You,” which immediately brings a feeling of summer nostalgia, perfect for this upcoming season. The dreamy yet upbeat guitar mixed with lead singer Emma Proulx’s soft voice creates a distinct sound that I highly recommend. One thing I like about this album is it’s diversity, these songs could be played in almost any situation. It’s just chill enough to study music, yet I can picture blasting this song driving to the beach. Either way, they nailed the upbeat indie vibe just in time for summer.
My personal favorite on the album is “Another Stone.” Those who listen to Adrienne Lenker may notice a similarity between this song and Lenker’s recent work, with an indie focus yet a western vibe. The country sounding guitar adds to the uniqueness of their sound, they can truly incorporate anything into their songs. The chorus of this song is beautiful as well, Proux’s voice is just so satisfying to listen to. Listening to the album straight through, I appreciate how it’s a listening journey and shifts through different sounds and emotions.
Men I Trust ends out their newest album with song “Eris (Wait).” An interesting part about this song is that is has no vocals. This song reminds me more so of Mac Demarco, with no lyrics just a general vibe. I could definitely take a nap to this song due to it’s chill instrumentals and soft melodies. I like how they ended out the album with an instrumental slow song, it really differentiates from the beginning of the album, and gives the listener time to reflect on the album as a whole.
Overall, this new album is different from Men I Trust’s previously releases, but I love all of the different sounds they were able to incorporate into one flowing album. If you haven’t listened yet, this one is definitely worth checking out.
