Austin Greaves’ indie project Horseshoes delivers ‘suite ossuary’ which explores the delicate line between holding on and letting go through its quietly devastating sounds. Greaves combines the gentle echoes of Elliott Smith with Duster’s ambient sound to create music ideal for listening to during cloudy afternoons or extended solo drives. From the opening track “shooting stars”, listeners are drawn into an enveloping stillness. The song doesn’t rush. The track maintains a soft float while its melancholy hides behind the gentle strums of a lo-fi guitar and the distant layers of vocals. “drive” maintains its grounded nature but gains some additional momentum as if headlights piercing through a dense fog. The rhythm expresses longing yet maintains restraint similar to a person who fights back tears while driving home.
The song “seance” bestows a spectral quality to the album through its muted drum sounds and distant vocal delivery. The track creates an auditory illusion of a memory attempting to return. The album reaches its emotional heart when it presents the title track “suite ossuary”. Its simplicity makes the arrangement hit harder because it remains bare. It’s not dramatic. The track remains still with its emotions yet that truthfulness creates deep impact. “at all” feels like the moment after a long conversation ends – heavy silence, a room still echoing. “the same” maintains its emotional burden while repeating delicate patterns that echo a person obsessively thinking about a breakup. There’s no climax here, just gentle persistence.
The album’s parting combination of “folding clothes” and “goodnight” stands out as its most tender moment. Through “folding clothes”, we experience everyday life with deep emotion which transforms mundane tasks into meaningful experiences. “goodnight” doesn’t try to resolve anything. It just accepts. The sensation mirrors how someone switches off lights not as a means to flee but to find rest. The music of ‘suite ossuary’ avoids creating impact with large-scale fanfare. It’s quiet, careful, and honest. Horseshoes doesn’t manufacture emotions but allows them to flow naturally. Anyone who has experienced love and loss or who has spent time with inexplicable memories will find this album feels understanding.
