Men I Trust – Equus Asinus

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Release date: March 19th 2025
Label: Independant
Length: 44 minutes

7.5

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie/dream-pop band formed in 2014 in Quebec City, Canada. The trio consists of Emmanuelle “Emma” Proulx (lead vocals and guitar), Jessy Caron (guitar and bass), and Dragos Chiriac (keyboards). Known for their hypnotic melodies, smooth rhythms, and Emma’s soothing vocals, Men I Trust has crafted a distinct sound that blends indie pop, dream pop, and subtle electronic elements — a style that feels both intimate and universally appealing. 

The band started by self-releasing music, building a loyal global audience largely through streaming platforms and DIY visuals. Their breakthrough came with singles like “Show Me How”, and they’ve since released several acclaimed albums, including Oncle Jazz (2019), Untourable Album (2021). They double-released in 2025 Equus Asinus and Equus Caballus – the former being today’s subject.

Men I Trust’s music often feels like a late-night drive or a dream you don’t want to wake from — mellow yet rich in detail, making them one of indie music’s most compelling voices in the past decade.

The album opens with a nearly five-minute introduction, “I Come With Mud” that establishes the record’s introspective, almost pastoral mood. It fades in with acoustic guitar and earthy imagery, setting a contemplative tone grounded in nature and emotional openness. The folk-inspired feel is a thoughtful contrast to Men I Trust’s usual dream pop palette.

Gentle strings and light instrumentals drift through “All My Candles“, which juxtaposes soft soundscapes with lyrics about self-reflection and the passage of time. The melody feels almost like slow dancing with memory — tender but troubled.

With “Bethlehem” the band offers one celestial moment. The guitar and bass lines offer this floating, weightless moment where everything seems perfectly in place and wisely dosed. The use of whimsical instrumentation like wind instruments and rattling textures offers some complexity to the track without being overwhelming. The lyrical landscape is poetic and open to interpretation, filled with vivid natural imagery. Also, many biblical references – including song’s title – completed by an uplifting end could be interpreted as a renewal, a resurrection.

Fingerpicked guitar and ambient wind sounds give “Frost Bite” a haunting identity. The song deals with resilience and the enduring force of nature — a quieter moment that feels almost like an atmospheric interlude in a movie.

“Heavenly Flow” is a more classic love song in the Men I Trust catalogue. The track incorporates romantic imagery wrapped in mellow guitar, sweet bass and cymbals. At 1:55, a surprising bridge gives an interesting dynamic and enjoyable twist to the song. It’s one of the more accessible tracks here, gently shifting the mood toward connection and affection.

“The Landkeeper” is probably the most balanced mix on the album and a particular standout – reminding us the powerful “Tree Among Shrubs” from previous records. Acoustic instruments are layered with careful mid-range separation, and the stereo image finally opens up. This feels like the album’s sonic “center” of the record with soft groove. Its lyrical content contemplates legacy and care for the earth, backed by dreamy instruments that enhance its nostalgic beauty.

The band’s dreamy aesthetic full of nostalgia is well represented by the next track: “Purple box”. The song is lighter, almost acoustic with a whimsical drift and extended syllables that help it blur pleasantly into the atmosphere.

“Paul’s theme” offers a stylistic detour: a jazz-tinged piece that leans into piano, orchestral elements, and even French lyrics. The opening of the track feels quite cinematic and slightly surreal, like a TV show opening from the 80’s. This shows the band’s willingness to experiment and indeed results in a pleasant parenthesis.

Intriguing and divisive, “Girl” pairs intentionally contrasted English and French vocals – with a Joe Dassin notes. One dry and intimate, the other darker and more processed. This may be the most layered and interventionist production in the full album. It is dynamic and bold but can feel stylistically out of tune with the rest of the record. This is one of the few tracks where vocal production becomes the focal point.

With its dreamy guitar and poetic reflections on closeness and care, “Burrow” summarizes some of the emotional themes of the album. Lyrics have more depth, sometimes difficult to decipher due to instrumentation. One interpretation could be about the response of a Christian mother to a lost pregnancy or miscarriage. Lyrics such as “Bellyful / She lies with roots before bed” or again “Outside the womb renewed / Too soon / Old age and youth” are going in this direction.

“Unlike Anything” is warm, classic Men I Trust tonality. Guitars shimmer lightly, and the mix breathes via wind instruments. Nothing flashy — just well-balanced but sign of a slight decreasing quality toward the end of the album.

Meta-concept both lyrically and sonically, “I Don’t Like Music” almost sounds like a home recording that never got finished. Uneven levels and minimal polish give this feeling. The protagonist’s ambivalence feeds into a cozy, introspective track built around guitar and reflective lines.

“Moon 2” is an instrumental track that leans into dreaminess, atmospheric textures, and subtle melodic movements. Sustained tones and slow modulation feels like meditation on the album’s themes without a word and preparing for the album closure.
 
Closing the album with another instrumental, “What Matters Most” wraps things up with gentle piano and jazzy touches. Lo-fi mastering is clearly present, finishing to give to the album this very intimate personality. It refuses the “big ending” trope and instead fades out emotionally and sonically.

Equus Asinus, the first of a twin-album pair released by Men I Trust in March 2025, feels like a slow sunrise — familiar, contemplative, and deeply textured. Anchored in the band’s signature dream-pop aesthetic, the album trades some of the more electronic grooves of their past work for soft acoustic touches, laid-back rhythms and floating melodies that spotlight Emma Proulx’s airy vocals.

From the lilting opener “I Come With Mud” to the gentle piano of “What Matters Most”, the record moves at a deliberate pace, favoring quiet introspection over bold shifts. Tracks like “The Landkeeper” and “All My Candles” linger with warm, natural imagery, while “Girl (2025)” nods to the band’s roots with a bilingual twist.

The result is a calming, almost meditative listening experience — one that rewards patience but can at times feel too uniform for newcomers. Longtime fans should appreciate the subtle evolution, and the album’s organic charm makes it a perfect companion for slow afternoons or thoughtful nights.

– Bethlehem
– Heavenly Flow
– The Landkeeper
– Burrow