There’s something a little oddly comforting about a song that feels like it’s smiling while heartbreak rains down, and “Summertime,” the new single from Faith in Foxholes, packages some of that up in guitars and pulsing beats with just the right touch of Stylophone sparkle.
Faith in Foxholes is as concerned with vibes as it is with openness. With a liberal arts degree and a semi-ironic wink to his placement in UNM’s music department, Floyd has staked out a universe in which frankness goes toe-to-toe with lo-fi dance grooves, though “Summertime” may be his catchiest work to date.
“Summertime” sits somewhere in the sweet spot between indie charm and DIY pop production. It opens with a woozy synth wash, then Floyd’s guitar chops take over all hook, no filler. The rhythm section is danceable but never aggressive, locking into a groove that’s as much an echo of 2000s indie as bedroom-pop’s recent reappearance does much of the heavy lifting.
The emotional undertow is what gives “Summertime” its true resonance. The earnest, unadorned vocals, refreshing in their simplicity, ponder love, loss, and that bittersweet notion of minutes ticking away. There’s no overcomplication here, just a slowly unveiling feeling draped in melodies that stick long after the final note dissolves. The Stylophone slinks in, a wink of anachronism that gives the track a bit of color missing from the algorithm-chasing singles overcrowding your playlist.