Half Gringa - “Afraid of Horses”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Tomberlin, Jay Som, Frances Quinlan

Contemplative and introverted, Half Gringa takes a bedroom folk setting and adds some indie-rock heft to broaden her sound across sophomore record Force to Recon and more recent follow-up track “Sevenwater”. Emotive and serious, there’s weight to Half Gringa’s songwriting, part melancholy and part yearning, a balance the Chicago-based artist maintains throughout her emerging catalog. 90s grunge pop and indie rock inform Half Gringa’s sound, one that is driving but still covered in patient, introspective tones. There’s a nice balance of vulnerability and strength across Force to Reckon, quiet but still pushing forward given Half Gringa’s consistently delicate touch. (Kevin McStravick)