Berlin DJ and singer-songwriter horsegiirL is exactly who she says she is: a horse who’s also a girl. And she never lets you forget that, with neighs often punctuating her high-energy, gabber, hyperpop tracks about horse life (“My Barn My Rules”), love (“My Little White Pony”), infidelity (“Harvest Heartbreak”), and slaying every day (“Eat, Sleep, Slay, Repeat”).
Her debut album NATURE IS HEALING opens a new sonic palette for horsegiirL, expanding her usual hard-style, uptempo beat to include house, jersey club, and new age tracks that are perfect for summer. For those already familiar with horsegiirL’s playful, equine hits, NATURE IS HEALING has surprising sincerity with its naturalist messaging. She leverages digital, man-made tones to urge people to connect to the Earth and respect nature, working alongside producers A. G. Cook (Charli XCX), Casey MQ (Oklou, Shygirl, Eartheater), Margo XS (Zara Larsson, Kim Petras, Alice Longyu Gao). While NATURE IS HEALING draws clear influences from SOPHIE’s hyperpop, bubblegum bass aesthetics, it also finds room for breezy pop melodies reminiscent of a Carly Rae Jepsen track on a scorching summer day. The result is an album that never sacrifices sincerity for absurdity, becoming a vibrant serenade to nature.
The playful, cheery opener “351%” serves as an ideal introduction for first-time horsegiirL listeners, where she confidently says exactly who she is without belaboring the point: “If I was a symphony, it would be a bop.” She continues this lighthearted vibe with “that’s my beach!”, one of her lead singles and contender for song of the summer, with a sickeningly catchy chorus revealing her sapphic admiration of her “beach” (her b*tch, if you hadn’t caught on yet).
HorsegiirL was inspired by an ayahuasca experience in Ecuador after facing significant burnout, emerging with a noble message to love ourselves, each other, and the world around us. This message is evident throughout the record. Dropped on Earth Day, lead single “earth is turning,” is a mystical, trance song that uses trippy beats to encourage listeners and dancers alike to reconsider the impact they have on Earth. The magical outro flows seamlessly into “rivers run free,” and “AURA,” with down-tempo, lush melodies that allow her environmental thesis to soar.
While the album is dense with bangers, there are a few overt appeals to the average party crowd. Though pleasant-sounding, “connect the dots” and “organic intelligence (oi)” are admittedly generic tracks that fall flat compared to other highlights on the album and lack the unique horsegiirL whimsy that makes her music so memorable.
Fortunately, horsegiirL saves the dancefloor with ultra-playful gabber banger “apple a day,” touting practical health advice: “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” By the time you’ve started speeding on the highway, a disembodied robotic voice unexpectedly echoes, “I’m so angry / I’m the doctor,” which is enough to make even the most stoic doctor giggle.
And now an aside for the interlude “fun guy fungi.” It’s delectably dewy, moist and cave-like. Longer than other tracks, some might find it a touch long for an interlude, though it provides a textural relief that adds to the organic message of the album.
NATURE IS HEALING successfully blends the playful and unserious, encouraging us to both ground in nature and suspend our disbelief. As a debut album, it is a clear signal from horsegiirL that she is to be taken seriously as a songwriter, elevating her status as a creator beyond that of single tracks or remixes. Listeners should pay attention to horsegiirL’s future projects, as she rises to shape the electronic music scene. Her identity as both a horse and a girl is not just a fursona or a mask for anonymity, it’s an identity that compels listeners to fully commit to the bit and join the herd.
Expect ponies and girls alike to flock to horsegiirL’s NYC shows on October 29 and 30.