DOWNLOAD: Vampire Weekend's New Single!
MP3
Vampire Weekend / Photo by Napoleon Habeica
New York's Polo-sporting pop masters Vampire Weekend are back, and they're dipping their ladle even deeper into a mishmash of cross-cultural influences on "Horchata," the first official release from their forthcoming sophomore set, Contra (out Jan. 12 via XL Recordings). The song is available as a free download right here.
The track is a total globetrotter, both sonically and lyrically. Ezra Koenig's reverb-drenched vocals lead a bubbly brew of sub-Saharan rhythms, marimbas, flutes, strings, and tabla-esque percussion -- plus name-checks of fruity Latino beverages (horchata, aranciata), Holy Land sites (Masada), and beachy images of sandals and pincher crabs.
Decidedly missing: audible guitars. But this burst of optimistic summertime memories -- "Here comes a feeling you thought you'd forgotten," goes the refrain -- isn't at all worse for their omission.
Download the track and decide for yourself: Is "Horchata" a refreshing taste of sunshine or a little sickly sweet for your palate? Sound off below.
2 Comments
Click here to comment- Posted By AnonymousJeff
10.05.09 6:46 PM
This track is great. It makes me want to sit on the beach at sunset and liet the fall winds blow sand all around me. I think this song is really cool, the percussion and instrumentation is really great! However, as this is the first single..I dont think it will be the best song on the record..and Im kinda glad. I have a feeling that other songs on the record will make me forget that this one even exists. Kinda how M79 made me forget oxford comma...At any rate, thank you VW for this free DL and I cant wait for the record!
10.05.09 6:42 PM
Thank you VW for the free download!
I enjoy this tune alot. As it is the first single from the upcoming record, I will assume it is not the best song on the record...but part of me feels thankful for that. Good song, castchy and great percussion and instrumentation. It just leaves me wanting to hear the rest of the album so badly. I really want to enjoy this one sitting on the beach with the cool fall winds blowing the sand around while the sun begins to set...Yea I like it. But I feel the rest of the record is going to make me forget this one exists.