Vampire Weekend Release First Single From New Record For Free

You may have heard whisperings (okay, clamor) that Vampire Weekend had a new record on the way. Well, things are coming to fruition, and news is making itself known. Specifically, Contra will drop on January 12th of the New Year.

What's more, the band has taken it upon themselves to release the record's first single, "Horchata", as a free download. We have to admit, we had been a little bit concerned about what we might hear. Combine the fact that there's the ominous "sophomore slump" that tends to plague second records with the fact that the band has a relatively pigeonholed sound, and well: there was the potential for trouble.

However, we're happy to report that (at least with this tune) the band seems to have avoided any missteps, and has maybe even stepped it up a notch. "Horchata" employs many of the techniques the band used on their first record: African influenced guitars and beats, reverby vocals, and catchy melodies. That being said, the production has more depth, and it sounds less like a raw garage recording. Put differently: it sounds (in a good way) like a track that had some time spent on it in the studio, and wasn't just the product of rehearsals and live shows. Granted, it doesn't have the catchy danceability of "A Punk", but we're pretty sure it's still a win. Check it out below.

mp3: Vampire Weekend - Horchata