Contra

Contra is the second studio album by the American indie pop band Vampire Weekend, produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij and released in January 2010 on XL Recordings. It was preceded by the 2009 singles "Horchata" and "Cousins." The album received critical praise and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. It was recognized as one of The 100 Best Albums of the Decade So Far by Pitchfork in August 2014. Release The release of Contra was announced on September 15, 2009, and was released in the UK on January 11, 2010. It was released in the US on the next day. "Horchata" was released as a free download on October 5, 2009 on the band's website. The first single was "Cousins", accompanied by a 7" single, and a music video. The album was available for streaming on the band's MySpace starting on January 3, 2010. It was also available for streaming from their official website, as of January 5, 2010. Music In addition to their established blend of African music influences with indie rock, the album draws from genres such as ska, dancehall, and dance music. It also incorporates the electro-pop and AutoTune found on Batmanglij's Discovery side-project. The Montreal Gazette stated that the album and its predecessor established the band's hybrid worldbeat-pop style. The album has been characterized as pop, "eclectic, intellectual indie rock," and "diffident haute bourgeoisie synth pop." The band made an effort to make their second album a natural expansion on the universe created in their debut album; as a result, Contra covers a far greater gamut of musical influences than their debut album, drawing inspiration from genres such as ska on "Holiday", synth-pop on "Giving Up the Gun", speed rap on "California English" and even rave music on "Run". The production of the album, directed by Rostam Batmanglij, was also different from their former work in that it did not use chamber echo and natural reverb but instead used digital effects to give the album an eighties aesthetic. Other distinguishing features of Contra are the use of backing vocals as textural elements, the debut of Rostam as a lead guitarist and more layered drumwork in which fundamental Latin beats are blended with drum machines to create a busier rhythm section.