Horsegirl, a Chicago-based band made up of Penelope Lowenstein, Nora Cheng, and Gigi Reece, had a studio accident that helped shape their new minimalist sound on their album “Phonetics On and On.”
Lowenstein recalls that during a recording session for the song “On and On,” the engineer accidentally turned down her guitar part completely. This revealed a haunting, super-minimal version of the song that surprised the band. “It became a kind of turning point because we realized those moments of vulnerability, or removing something you thought was important, could be really exciting, and it pushed us to explore minimalism,” Lowenstein said.
The vocal take was recorded with Lowenstein singing with a full band, giving her confidence that it was a louder song. However, removing the guitar made her sound a bit crazy, like a girl singing at full force but in a lonely way. This showed the band what happens when you take a pop love song and strip it back, allowing the feeling to float to the fore in a cool way.
Horsegirl embraces serendipitous minimalism
Cate Le Bon, who produced the record, encouraged the band to embrace this more minimal space, which is why they chose her as a producer. Le Bon coached the band into this new direction, giving them a boost when they might have gotten nervous and shied away from a weirder choice.
Lowenstein explained that when the band was in high school, the most exciting thing was seeing how much noise they could make. However, they realized that the most natural thing for a trio setup is stripping it back. They already loved bands like Young Marble Giants, The Raincoats, and The Feelies, and thought that this approach might be a little more sophisticated, showing confidence in occupying less space.
“Also, we’re not teenagers anymore,” Lowenstein added. “Phonetics On and On” is out now on Matador Records, showcasing Horsegirl’s new minimalist sound inspired by a serendipitous studio accident and the guidance of producer Cate Le Bon.