Written by Trishna Chettiar
Genre: Indie pop, dream pop, soft rock, subtle jazz
Length: 14 tracks- 44min
There is a certain magic to Men I Trust’s music— an unhurried grace, an ability to create entire worlds out of whispered melodies and feather-light grooves. With Equus Asinus, the Montreal trio once again proves that subtlety is their greatest strength. Drifting effortlessly between indie, soft rock, and jazz influences, the album is a dreamscape bathed in muted pastels. A soundtrack for quiet contemplation and late-afternoon light filtering through half-open blinds.
From the very first notes, Equus Asinus establishes itself as an album of patience. Unlike many artists who chase immediacy, Men I Trust embraces slowness, allowing each song to unfold like
a careful exhale. Emmanuelle Proulx’s voice is as breathy and effortless as ever, floating over basslines that feel like the gentle rocking of a rowboat. The guitar melodies meander like sun-drunk rivers, never in a rush, never demanding attention, but captivating nonetheless.
There’s something hypnotic about the way Men I Trust crafts their music. Their sound has always been warm and unassuming, but on Equus Asinus, they perfect the art of understated elegance. It’s an album that doesn’t beg to be played at full volume, but instead invites you to sink into its atmosphere. The production is lush yet subdued, allowing the natural textures of each instrument to breathe. Right from the opening track, “I Come With Mud”, Proulx’s voice drips with honey right into the listener’s ears. The song is shrouded in a smooth, golden sound that makes you feel the warm rays of sunlight bathing you. It’s the kind of music that doesn’t impose itself, it simply exists, waiting for the listener to get lost in its soft edges.
Lyrically, Equus Asinus is both introspective and ambiguous, often feeling like a collection of fleeting thoughts rather than structured narratives. This is a band that understands the power of suggestion, of saying just enough to evoke a mood without ever over-explaining. The themes drift between wistfulness, longing, and quiet acceptance, delivered with a softness that makes even melancholic moments seem comforting. The ninth track, “Girl (2025)”, was originally released as a single in 2022. This song is so simple, yet so moving. It has this shift from English to French that is so unclouded, it isn’t dramatic. Everything fits right in without urging attention.
One of the album’s greatest strengths is its cohesion. Where some records feel like a series of unrelated snapshots, Equus Asinus is a single, fluid motion; a slow dance where each step flows seamlessly into the next. Even as the band subtly plays with tempo and tone, there’s never a jarring shift, never a moment that feels out of place. The third track, “Bethlehem”, starts off with this bouncy intro. A vibey guitar riff blending seamlessly with a softer replica of the same melody. Then, in comes the ethereal vocals. The entire song is absolutely hypnotic— it makes you feel like you’re floating into the stars. This is an album designed to be experienced in full, to be absorbed in one sitting like a warm cup of tea on a rainy evening.
Yet, despite its softness, Equus Asinus never feels weightless. There’s a depth to its stillness, an unspoken confidence in its refusal to rush. In a musical landscape where bombast often overshadows nuance, Men I Trust continues to carve out a space for quiet beauty. Equus Asinus isn’t trying to be grand or revolutionary, it’s simply existing in its own luminous world, and that’s exactly what makes it so special.
This is an album for the in-between moments. For golden hours and long drives, for nights spent staring at the ceiling, for the gentle embrace of solitude. Men I Trust has once again created something effortlessly beautiful, an album that doesn’t need to shout to be heard. Equus Asinus is a reminder that sometimes, the softest things leave the deepest impressions.
Final Rating: 8.9/10
Polyvox Magazine 
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