Hailing from the heart of East Sussex, England, Wild Horse is a vibrant indie pop outfit built on brotherhood, lifelong friendship, and an unshakeable devotion to music. Formed by brothers Jack and Henry Baldwin alongside their childhood friend Ed Barnes, the band’s origins trace back to years of growing up together, bonding over records, instruments, and the electric thrill of discovering their own sound. Their journey, once a teenage passion project, has transformed into one of the most energetic and fast-rising forces in the UK indie scene. In 2024, Wild Horse welcomed Jade Snowdon on keys and violin, expanding their sonic landscape with a fresh musical dimension. With an average age of just 23, they have built an enviable resume: numerous releases, consistent support from BBC Introducing, glowing coverage from mainstream press, and a reputation for electrifying live performances that keep audiences dancing, singing, and completely immersed in the moment.
Their musical identity is a dynamic blend of funk-infused guitar pop, the rhythmic urgency of hip-hop, and the timeless edge of 60s and 70s Brit Rock. A Wild Horse track feels like a late-night adventure, bold, colourful, infectious, and impossible to resist. With comparisons to The 1975, Harry Styles, Fleetwood Mac, Wet Leg, and more, the band’s versatility has earned them a loyal fanbase and a powerful presence both on stage and across radio. Wild Horse’s recent years have marked an unstoppable rise. Their 2023 debut UK tour, standout appearance at Brighton’s Great Escape Festival, multiple BBC Live Lounge sessions, and twelve consecutive BBC Intro Track of the Day releases showcase a band in constant motion, writing, rehearsing, performing, and growing with each step. Whether they’re in the studio crafting new work or on stage lighting up packed rooms, Wild Horse operate with a passion and intensity that leaves a lasting imprint on every listener they encounter.
Releasing 26 November 2025, Wild Horse returns with “Magpies,” a long-awaited studio rendition of a song that has already become a fan favourite in their live shows. Written by frontman Jack Baldwin, “Magpies” dives into a world of trust, betrayal, and emotional self-preservation, exploring what it means to guard your peace in a world where intentions aren’t always pure. With its reflective lyricism, soulful guitar glow, and the emotional honesty Wild Horse have become loved for, “Magpies” captures the moment when clarity arrives, and with it, the courage to protect your energy and keep your circle tight. It’s a single that feels intimate yet anthemic, soft yet powerful, transforming personal truth into a universally resonant experience. A fan favourite finally brought to life in the studio, “Magpies” marks another defining step in Wild Horse’s compelling 2025 era.
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“Magpies” by Wild Horse opens with a lush, expressive warmth that feels instantly immersive, drawing the listener into an atmosphere shaped by soulful guitar tones and a smooth rhythmic undercurrent that breathes like a quiet confession. The opening guitars set the scene with a vintage 70s glow, clean, rounded, and subtly blues-kissed, plucking out a progression that feels both familiar and haunting in its emotional transparency. There is an elegant looseness to the playing, as if every string vibration carries a trace of vulnerability. The reverb spreads out gently, creating the sense of a dimly lit room where every sound lingers long enough to leave an imprint. As the acoustic undertones blend softly beneath the electric lines, the mood becomes undeniably reflective, capturing the liminal space between hurt and realization. This intro does not rush; it allows each chord to breathe, establishing a soundscape that is calm yet profoundly searching, preparing the emotional terrain for the story the vocals are about to unveil.
When the vocals step into this carefully built sonic space, the emotional depth of “Magpies” becomes unmistakably vivid. The lead voice enters with a tone that is textured, slightly worn at the edges, and richly expressive in its emotional inflections. There is a soulful weight in the phrasing, shaped by deliberate shifts between soft, breathy lines and firmer, more pronounced expressions that align perfectly with the song’s themes of betrayal, distrust, and emotional armor. The vocal delivery is intimate, almost conversational, yet it carries a quiet power that reveals the emotional fatigue beneath the words. Small details such as the controlled rasp on certain notes, the slight tightening of vibrato, or the gentle dip in volume at reflective moments create a dynamic performance that feels honest and deeply human. The subtle layering of harmonies in select passages adds warmth and gravity without ever breaking the song’s intimate atmosphere, emphasizing the emotional duality of vulnerability and self-preservation.
The instrumentation expands with careful intention, deepening the emotional landscape as the track progresses. Electric guitar lines begin to stretch out with more personality, weaving in melodic accents that echo the vocalist’s emotional cues. The bass guitar enters with a smooth, rounded tone, providing a grounding pulse that gently pushes the rhythm without overpowering the reflective mood. Its subtle slides and rhythmic phrasing add a sense of movement that mirrors the slow unfurling of emotional awareness. The drums remain understated, soft kicks, lightly brushed snares, and delicate hi-hat patterns, supporting the groove with sensitivity rather than force. Their presence adds a light, steady heartbeat that keeps the track evolving without interrupting its contemplative flow. Together, these instrumental layers create a sonic journey that feels organic, like a thought gradually forming into clarity.
As the track moves deeper into its core, the emotional stakes rise, and the interplay between vocals and instrumentation becomes even more intricate. The singer’s voice grows more impassioned, leaning into the emotional peaks with a sort of contained intensity that never fully erupts but is always felt beneath the surface. This intensity is echoed by the guitars, which adopt richer chords and slightly more pronounced picking patterns, adding harmonic depth that underscores the feeling of emotional tension. The bass becomes more fluid, carrying the weight of the rhythm while also adding melodic nuance through its carefully placed runs. Even the drum patterns shift slightly, adding gentle rhythmic emphasis during key lyrical moments. These changes, though subtle, intensify the emotional arc, capturing the conflict between confronting disappointment and choosing personal peace. The production remains close and intimate, ensuring that every detail, every sighing note, every resonant chord, feels immediate and emotionally tangible.
The later portion of Wild Horse’s “Magpies” widens the sonic and emotional space, achieving a bittersweet openness that feels both healing and reflective. The guitars brighten with gentler strumming patterns and melodic flourishes that shimmer with acceptance. The bass moves with a softer, more soothing flow, easing the rhythmic tension and giving the track a sense of calm resolution. The vocals shift into a more reflective register, easing away from the earlier intensity and settling into a tone that feels introspective, almost like an internal dialogue being spoken aloud. The background instrumentation, delicate ambient tones, light harmonic overtones, soft chordal swells, adds subtle warmth that envelops the listener without distracting from the central emotional thread. These sonic choices elevate the track into a space where the themes of broken trust transform into a quiet affirmation of self-worth and clarity.
A soulful, vulnerable journey through trust, betrayal, and self-preservation, ‘Magpies’ blends vintage warmth with emotional clarity for a deeply resonant experience.
The closing segment brings the journey full circle with a graceful sense of finality. The guitars return to a gentler, more simplified pattern that echoes the contemplative quality of the introduction but with a slightly fuller emotional resonance, as though the narrative has settled into acceptance. The vocals fade with poised sincerity, delivering the final lines with a softness that feels like a gentle release rather than a lingering ache. The bass and drums gradually pull back, leaving the final guitar tones to drift into the air like the last thought before silence. This ending reinforces the song’s emotional core, a movement from emotional injury to self-preservation and renewed strength. “Magpies” leaves the listener with the feeling of something deeply processed, beautifully expressed, and profoundly resolved, supported by a rich blend of instrumentation, warm vintage textures, and a vocal performance that anchors the entire emotional experience.
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