New Music: Baby Ghoul – Horseshoe

London quintet Baby Ghoul swap the sights of the Big Smoke for the southern gothic plains of America on Horseshoe.

Rather like a horseshoe, the differing influences on the track almost meet together. The body of the track is held by a smoky vocal and a guitar line that reflects the heat of the lyrics; as a similar emotional charge to Beach House and Still Corners. I also hear whispers of Fleetwood Mac at either end of the 70s.

Their early expressive and unconventional transformation of the blues into rock is here, but so too is a reflective, almost mystic texture more noticeable as that decade drew to a close, perfect for a song about relationships and rock and roll.

“Horseshoe looks at what makes me feel lucky and how grateful I am to have experienced a life unique to me,” says vocalist Aimee. “An amalgamation of the grunge music I fell in love with as a teenager, the cinema that’s walked me through life, and the country rock n’ roll I was brought up with as a kid. An ode and thanks to the people and places in my life who have shaped my world.”

Horseshoe is out now on Agent Anonyme Recordings. It is streaming on Spotify and Bandcamp. Baby Ghoul are set to announce more live dates soon – follow them on Instagram for news on that and upcoming releases.

Header image by William Graves