Did Horsegirl capture the aesthetic of Wes Anderson on ‘2468’?
There aren’t many filmmakers who claim to have a style as distinct as Wes Anderson. A true auteur, the Texan broke out in the 1990s with early efforts Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, which set him up for classics such as The Royal Tenenbaums, a title many argue is his finest. The 2001 ensemble comedy-drama popularised his style as a favourite amongst hipsters and indie heads worldwide, with music a crucial part of his success. Whether it is incidental or not, it seems that Horsegirl have just captured the Anderson aesthetic with their new single ‘2468’.
Ever since the Chicago trio released the video for their single ‘Anti-glory’ in March 2022, the band have been one of the most hotly tipped acts for big things, given their deeply artful musical style, clear aesthetic, and the fact they’re still so young. While so many green acts emerge and are crushed under the weight of expectations, the trio released their debut, Versions of Modern Performance, in June of that year, and it confirmed just how brilliant they are and how long their path could well be. Since then, the group has moved to New York so two members could attend NYU, and they have continued to evolve their style.
Recently, the group released the lead single ‘2468’ from their hotly anticipated second album, Phonetics On and On, which was produced by Welsh sonic voyager Cate Le Bon, an unexpected convergence. However, it seems that working with Le Bon, who’s a dab hand at blending folk, baroque pop and indie into a unique, imaginative mixture, is to be a fruitful one. While their debut was brimming with stylistic post-punk and indie harking back to that of the 2000s, the latest cut takes a different turn. It’s still exceptional and feels like vintage Horsegirl but has more of an indie-folk feel, and this, mixed with the aesthetic of the music, makes it seem like a direct cousin to the world of Wes Anderson.
Thanks to the slow, clean chords, jangly bassline, and naturalistic drum beat—not to mention the prominent fiddle—as well as the warmth of the band’s collective vocals, the song has a distinctly autumnal feel that gradually morphs into an energetic pulse.
Although the song itself seems destined for an Anderson soundtrack, the pastoral nature of the song, which also appeals to the indie folk that was all the rage in the 2000s when the director was arguably in his pomp, is lifted by the video, directed by Eliza Barry Callahan. You can imagine Margot Helen Tenenbaum or Steve Zissou dancing to it.
Featuring the trio singing along in front of a perfectly bucolic, green painting of a park brimming with trees, partaking in a series of choreographed dances – not to mention donning the colourful knitwear harking back to the 1980s that Anderson’s movies often do – the video bears many aesthetic similarities to the work of The Darjeeling Limited director. When you add a series of quick wide shots, medium close-ups, a series of experiments with several shots playing simultaneously, and the relatively tableau vivant feel of the composition to the mix, you get a product that is undeniably related to the Anderson universe.
Of course, these connections might only be incidental, but in a world where the indie culture of 20 years ago is coming back to the fore, and being repackaged by a new generation, you can’t help but think Horsegirl are on to something. Perhaps Anderson might look to their music for whatever his next effort might be, just like his aesthetic, tracks such as ‘2468’ are perfect for a rainy day.
