On my stereo this week: ‘I Come With Mud’ by Men I Trust.

The Montreal dream pop trio Men I Trust has independently released six studio albums over the past 11 years. That actual fact I had to look up because before yesterday I had never heard of them, despite touring in my city of Melbourne in 2023. The song that introduced them to me was I Come With Mud, the opening track from their fifth studio album, Equus Asinus (2025). But more on that in a moment.

Known for their indie dream pop sound Men I Trust was apparent inspired by the electronic movement of the 2000s. Starting out as a duo, keyboardist Dragos Chiriac and bassist-guitarist Jessy Caron recorded their debut album Endless Strive in 2014 with a series of revolving guest vocalists. Singer Emmanuelle Proulx who featured on two songs from their second studio album Headroom (2015) would eventually be asked back to join the band as their permanent lead singer and additional guitarist. On the subject of joining the band Proulx once said that “Dragos had heard a video of me singing around a campfire with friends. We tried a few things together, and, well, I never left.”

Since their formation as a permanent trio, Men I Trust have enjoyed moderate success touring frequently across North America, Europe, Asia and places like Australia. (They are currently on an extensive tour as I write.) Their music including their live performances are often described as atmospheric and laid-back, occasionally likened to campfire vibes and headphone music, which is not meant as a criticism. It sways brilliantly between electro-pop grooves and airy coziness and in my humble opinion always sounds better when they employ guitars to the mix. A wonderful feature of their sound is definitely Proulx’s vocals. On their recordings it’s often overdubbed and reverb-y, but beneath the studio tricks there is still a real charm to her delivery and performance. 

Men I Trust (as I recently learned) have released two new albums in 2025: Equus Asinus (back in March) and Equus Caballus (two months later in May). While both albums are connected by a shared theme, the former drifts just a little more away from their vibrant pop sound into folk territory, evoking a melancholic and retrospective feel. This is where I Come With Mud fits in with my introduction to the band. I’m surprised how much I really like the strolling slide guitar effects which open the song and serenades us throughout. While I have yet to fully decipher the splintered lyrics of the song, with short verses such as “ I come with mud/ From yellow bogs/ Pulling on calves”, I’m spellbound enough by Proulx’s rock to sleep vocals to overlook it’s ambiguity. 

If you like Men I Trust, whether you are a fan or newcomer, you’ll probably enjoy I Come With Mud. I have no clue where I’d place it with the rest of their discography. Time will tell.  

Photo credit: The header image of Men I Trust is courtesy of Justin Higucchi. It is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license.