Mala

Released in 2013, Mala represents a pivotal shift in Devendra Banhart's discography, moving away from the 'Freak Folk' label he helped define toward a more refined, electronic-tinged indie folk. Recorded in his Los Angeles home using a vintage Tascam digital recorder, the album's production is intentionally modest and intimate. This 'bedroom' aesthetic is bolstered by the use of analog synthesizers and drum machines, which provide a steady, rhythmic backbone to his signature fingerpicked guitar. The album is notable for its multilingual lyrics - spanning English, Spanish, and German - and its tribute to diverse influences, from the mystic Hildegard von Bingen to the skateboarder Keenan Milton. Critics noted that while the whimsy of his earlier work remained, it was now tempered by a sophisticated sense of space and restraint. Mala is widely considered one of his most cohesive and mature statements, successfully bridging the gap between his avant-garde roots and a more contemporary, art-pop sensibility.