Horsegirl Release Digital EP Julie In Twos And Announce 7"

24 September 2025

Earlier this year, Horsegirl— the New York-via-Chicago trio of best friends Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece—released one of the year’s most lauded releases, Phonetics On and On, via Matador Records. Produced by Cate Le Bon, the album has already landed on mid-year best of 2025 lists from major publications, including Esquire, Stereogum, The Ringer, UPROXX, FLOOD, Paste, Rolling Stone, and more, with the latter crowning album as an “instant contender for any list of great albums.” The band has been touring extensively since the release, recently returning from an entirely sold out, first-ever Japanese tour.

Julie In Twos Tracklist

1. Julie Demo 1
2. Julie Demo 2
3. In Twos Demo

One of the album’s standout songs is the “spare and stunning” (The Ringer) 'Julie.' Upon its release, Stereogum claimed “songs as great as this one suggest [Horsegirl’s debut] was only the beginning of their ascent.” Now, Horsegirl shine a brighter light on 'Julie' with the release of the digital EP, Julie In Twos, and announcement of a physical 7”, 'Two Julies,' now available for pre-order. Offering a deeper dive into the album’s centerpiece, the forthcoming physical 7” comprises two demos of 'Julie,' while today’s release also includes a demo of 'In Twos.'

'Two Julies' Tracklist

A - Julie Demo 1

B - Julie Demo 2

“‘Julie’ had a long evolution with many working versions. We wanted to share some early recordings to provide insight on how much songs evolve during the process of making a record. This song describes the experience of infatuation and uncertainty—vulnerability takes a different shape in each version of the song. It was first written on an acoustic guitar, an instrument which was ultimately eliminated from the final recording. The song’s evolution reflects the playfulness of our recording session with Cate and our growth as songwriters while making Phonetics On and On.” - Horsegirl

Produced by Cate Le Bon and recorded at The Loft in Chicago, Horsegirl’s original and sonic home, Phonetics On and On explores the limits of the trio configuration— what if instead of filling out songs with distortion, they utilized the expanse that the three of them didn't occupy? This question is the guiding force behind the record, and the songs are a testament to experimenting with space and texture while maintaining a pop song at the core. It’s an album to dance to, as Reece’s dancing drum melodies and Lowenstein’s bright guitar leads direct your attention to the band’s chemistry and mastery of form.

Phonetics On and On Tracklist

1. Where’d You Go
2. Rock City
3. In Twos
4. 2468
5. Well I Know You’re Shy
6. Julie
7. Switch Over
8. Information Content
9. Frontrunner
10. Sport Meets Sound
11. I Can’t Stand To See You

Praise for Horsegirl and Phonetics On and On

“[A] springy, confidently minimalist sophomore album.” - New York Times

“Phonetics On and On is a compulsively replayable record full of arrestingly catchy, bare-
bones songwriting and twee treasures.” - NPR Music

"The beauty of the album is in how every element contributes equally - there are no lead
parts and nothing is pushed to the background. Each voice and instrument occupies an 
equally important place in the mix." - Wall Street Journal

“Fresh, alive, and reimagined with exquisite taste.” - Vanity Fair

“[Phonetics On and On] has an affinity for stretching the distance between instruments and
hypnotically fixating on a single musical element” - Paste, “The Best Albums of 2025 So Far”
“These kids know their history, but man they are very much of the moment.” - Sound Opinions

“Phonetics On and On still brings the noise - and some moments of shredding - but is subtler
than the group’s debut, clarifying Horsegirl’s sound and refining its melodies across 11 tracks.” 
- Billboard

“Phonetics On and On is a home-away-from-home album, capturing all the freedom,
uncertainty, and change that comes with the replanting of a flag.” - Pitchfork

"Everything you’re hearing is absolutely necessary and precise […] this sophomore album for Matador Records is a triumph.” - Style Weekly

"You potentially have the finest 1992 album of 2025” - UPROXX, & "Steven Hyden’s Favourite Music of 2025 So Far”

“[Horsegirl] have already proven their authenticity; with Phonetics On and On, they move
beyond their influences, carving out a distinct identity shaped through time and life experience.”
- PopMatters, The Best Albums of 2025 So Far

“[Phonetics On and On] is a beautiful and chaotic coming-of-age story [...] a deeply layered 
album that rewards repeated listens.” - SPIN

“Perfectly-turned playground chants whose seeming stream-of-consciousness is so
convincing, I keep replaying them to catch the sleight-of-hand, and because they’re so damn 
catchy.” - Will Hermes, New Music + Old Music

"What Phonetics On and On proves, among other things, is just how deserving this Matador-
signed band is of such effusive hype.” - FLOOD, The Best Albums of 2025 (So Far)

"Phonetics On and On is the product of so much hard work and refinement, but damn if it
doesn’t feel like a brilliant song falls out every time one of these three shrugs.” - Stereogum, “The 50 Best Albums of 2025 So Far”

“One of the most promising bands of the early-’20s.” - Brooklyn Vegan, “Best Albums of 2025 So Far”

"Pulsing and propulsive. . .[‘Switch Over’] is hooky but laconic, a next step forward for a band with a long road ahead.” - Esquire, “The 17 Best Songs of 2025 (So Far)”

“[Phonetics On and On] is simply a triumphant indie rock effort.” - Aquarium Drunkard, “Midyear Review”

Horsegirl is a band of best friends; being around them you can see that love in their eyes and it is always a joyous thing to witness. It’s a love that is ever-present in Phonetics On and On as tenderness reverberates back and forth across the recording. It’s hard to imagine these songs being written by anyone but these three. Horsegirl writes with an unanticipated honesty, leading us through scenes of girlhood and youth. These are the moments of their lives.

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