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Hear Devendra Banhart’s Sweetly Sweaty ‘Mi Negrita’ En Español

devendra banhart, mala, mi negrita

Devendra Banhart continues to parcel out bits from his forthcoming eighth album, Mala (out March 12 via Nonesuch), with the newly unveiled “Mi Negrita,” which can be heard up above. Where the surreal “Never Seen Such Good Things” offsets a marching drum beat with drippy synths, the flirty, mostly acoustic “Mi Negrita” settles for a simple shimmy as the Venezuela-raised Banhart serenades his lady love in Spanish. The Houston-born singer-songwriter claims he wrote this three-and-a-half minute passion plea while picturing himself “in an oversized suit, slightly sweaty” on the set of a Venezuelan variety show he watched as a kid. That may be true, but this one still sounds like it was composed for a cantina. Fans can pre-order Mala now on Nonesuch’s website.