Spook the Horses

People Used to Live Here (Selfreleased)

★★★★

The latest release from Wellington’s Spook the Horses is a beautiful paradox to unpack. It’s so heavy that it drains you, but not by relying on cliche´s like screamed vocals. People Used to Live Here is sparse and ominous. However, the songs are also brightly hopeful, with soaring harmonies throughout. But maybe ‘‘songs’’ is also wrong – perhaps ‘‘soundscapes’’ fits better. Confused? Clumsy similes won’t necessarily help: for example, saying that this is like Radiohead covering the end song of 28 Days Later, or like hearing Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me in the clutches of a fever dream. The best way to digest this is to listen to it, and you will be rewarded for doing so – it is immaculately crafted, and creatively inspired. – James Cardno