I know what you’re thinking: this is just another video of a four-piece band playing in the wilderness, punctuated by shots of them strolling through some fields in slow-mo. You’d be correct, but this wilderness is different. This wilderness is Swedish. Those cliffs in the background? Also Swedish. From the land of lingonberries, undersized backpacks, and build-it-yourself furniture comes Star Horse, a DIY bastion based in Stockholm. The band is headed by Maja Thunberg and Andreas Ryberg, ambitious multitaskers who run against the grain of Scandinavian music. The duo are responsible for the label Häxrummet Records and the band have also organized a friendly community festival called Fuzztival along with fellow Stockholm band Follow the Sea.
Star Horse are pretty fuzzy themselves. Their new single, “Slower Now,” is some seriously blissed-out dream pop. The track’s calmness seems to echo around the video’s landscape, bringing warmth to the greyness of Sweden’s countryside. As much as a song can bring the beach to a scene of overcoats and beanies, “Slower Now” manages. While Thunberg’s airy voice resonates over ethereal guitars and a refreshingly involved bassline, Ryberg interrupts the chorus to beckon us with a call of, “Come to me.” Stay put by that cliff, Star Horse, I’m on my way.
