Wunderhorse swaps chaos and fuzz for understated confidence and evocative nostalgia on "17"

Contrary to what his sybaritic punk past in Dead Pretties would suggest, Wunderhorse, AKA Jacob Slater, spent his teenage years honing his songwriting skills listening to the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell, perfecting the art of simplicity and restraint.

Since breaking out as an artist in his own right last year, early singles “Teal” and “Poppy” exemplified a knack for introspection channelled into bubbling indie-rock. Today, “17” serves as Slater’s latest, lucent example of that moderation and subtlety.

Written at the age of seventeen, Slater explains “I remember coming back from a party and feeling a bit shit, and the song just kind of fell out. It’s the oldest song I still play live and so I thought it deserved to get out there."

Rooted in its candour is a sense that it is pulling at tightened threads, shining a light in dark corners. “Do I look pretty in your pictures / Did I fool you with a laugh / Don’t be the clown who lets his amour down”, he sings. Instantly, you’re propelled back to that age, on the cusp of adulthood and all the complexities of human existence, but still slightly skewed by the hope and excitement of what’s to come.

Despite the scintilla of dispirit, Slater’s gravelly throaty croon and emphatic melodies leave us with a warm nostalgia that feels older than its years and without seemingly trying too hard.