London slowcore/post-rock act deathcrash have been on a deserved break, after a period of constant rise through the city’s art-rock scene that saw them release two EPs and tour extensively. However, they return today with a new single called “Horses”, a concise and open-hearted song compared to their previous output. Band member Matt says:
“The music is crushing and sad, but also nostalgic. For me, it came to be a kind of looking back, a desire for a simpler time. This is what the music from Horses meant to me: nostalgia for a time where things were clearer and I felt better, but with the realisation that this nostalgia changes your relationship to the past, and distances you from it.”
Banks’ description of the music as “crushing and sad” is spot on, as “Horses” finds deathcrash drawing heavily from the Midwest emo forebears like American Football to create a ripe atmosphere of melancholic nostalgia. Lyrically, Banks leans into this mood, gazing at the endless sky, singing about the endless days and the endless pain in his heart. That may make it sound like a mopey song, but, as with the best music of this ilk, there is something rewarding in accepting these feelings and letting them wash over you. That way, you can see the glimmers of hope that exist around the edges of the experience, and know that – even if it might not be said explicitly – these feelings don’t last forever. With “Horses”, deathcrash invite us to take some pleasure in feeling this way while it lasts, knowing that a change in mood is never far away.
The video for “Horses” also comes with an interesting story, as it was created by mysterious YouTuber Nicotine_age_drama_queen, whom the band contacted after enjoying a surreal series of videos they had made. The creator accepted the challenge, and after sending a few messages back and forth, they presented the band with the weird and wonderful video for “Horses”, which you can watch below. Otherwise, find the song on streaming platforms.
“Horses” is out via untitled (recs). deathcrash have these live dates ahead:
17 October – Future Yard – Birkenhead
18 October – Castle Hotel – Manchester
19 October – Headrow House – Leeds
20 October – Hug & Pint – Glasgow
22 October – Elsewhere – Margate
24 October – Exchange – Bristol
You can find deathcrash on Bandcamp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
