Written in a Mexican hut on the Yucatan Peninsula, “Song For Zula” is a breathtaking piece of folk rock. But that genre alone doesn’t do this excellent track justice — it’s hardly just roots and twang. Alabama-born Matthew Houck, or Phosphorescent as he’s better known, has ventured off a bit from the typical alt-country path (which informed most of his 2010 LP Here’s To Taking It Easy), incorporating pieces of electronica into the mix. The result is a song that’s raw and sun-soaked, complemented nicely by warm, subtle synths and a throbbing drum machine beat. And if Houck’s vocals didn’t sound hurt enough, the waves of strings sure add another level of ache.
Mark your calendars, Phosphorescent’s new album Muchacho drops March 19th via Dead Oceans.
