Vampire Weekend

They're back!

After a short and well deserved break from the hard graft of promoting their astounding 2008 debut, Vampire Weekend are back with the same preppy, ethnically diverse indie with more than a spring in their step. With a first album globally heralded to be one of the finer LPs released this decade, many have doubted whether the NY boys would deliver the same result in their follow up. Thankfully, by the sounds of the tracks that the band have leaked thusfar, it definitely won't diappoint.

Vampire Weekend released tracks Horchata and Cousins as free downloads not too long ago, and have since been happily clocking up the plays on my iTunes with their moreish charm . Horchata is more of what you've come to expect from the posh so and so's: there's the same African drumming, crisp harmonies and off the wall lyrics ( 'In December drinking Horchata I'd look psychotic in a balaclava'-errm, ok then) but it still sounds as refreshing as ever. It's almost like they've never been away.

Cousins meanwhile, is possibly one of my favourite songs of the year, which for a late contender is quite impressive. It's bouncy and a proper feel good song, definitely what we need to warm up those icy nights of crap TV and stale Quality Street. Cousins also, oddly enough, manages to encapsulate both a Christmassy vibe and hazy summer ambience almost effortlessly, without so much as raising an eyebrow. Love it.

If you haven't heard their first album, put that on your shopping list in the January sales. Then go to www.vampireweekend.com and download Horchata for free. It's awesome.

New album Contra is out on January 11th.