Delta Spirit Soars with the Sunny Indie Rock of “Villains” (premiere)

When Delta Spirit released What Is There in 2020, it was their first album in six years. Something of a comeback, the album further spread the band across the sonic board—where elements of folk-rock and Americana pervaded their music, but to where it couldn’t fully be explained within these genre boundaries, either. Now, Delta Spirit debut “Villains”—a cut from their forthcoming album One Is One. Due out on 20 May via New West, the LP is Delta Spirit’s first since the height of the global pandemic. It’s suitably bright and forward-looking. It’s filled with new musical explorations for the band, too.

“Villains” is an optimistic indie rock cut. Doused in spacey electronic synth and rhythm and bass, Delta Spirit frontman Matthew Logan Vasquez confidently navigates new artistic territory across its sticky melodies. He recalls themes of maturity and romance when crafting the tune, telling PopMatters, “’Villains’ is about finding love and growing up to keep it. I was an absolute mess when I first met my wife. We were just friends for three years before it was even in the realm of possibility that we’d get together. Nayarit is a region in Mexico where I convinced her to be my girlfriend. It’s a special memory I think about often and wanted to commemorate it.”