In the northeastern portion of the country yesterday, some areas received multiple inches of snow… in mid-May, when many colleges hold graduation ceremonies and students are ready for summer. Regardless of what it’s like outside, it’s all warm and bright in the eyes of Twin Wave, a Brooklyn-based indie rock group whose latest single “Matador” is ready to soundtrack many a summer barbecue.

It’s not a summer jam in the DJ Khaled sense (although it’s certainly excitable), but more like in the way that The Police are able to conjure sunny vibes with their upbeat hits. The influence of the latter band is incredibly noticeable (and enjoyable) in “Matador,” but they’ve given the sound a contemporary spin, resulting in a propulsive jam more comparable to the work of groups like Capital Cities and Chromeo, but with more of a sinister edge.

The song’s lyrical content came about after frontman Nick Williams realized that there is more to a matador than is immediately evident.

“The idea of bullfighting as an art form rather than a sport immediately struck me,” he told Noisey. “Seeing beauty and art and being mesmerized by that kind of exhibited violence stayed with me ever since, and it was the first thing that came into my head after Sarik and Maxx first wrote the guitar riff that leads the track.”

“Matador” is the lead single from Twin Wave’s upcoming EP, Pour Out The Dark. Give the song a listen below.

Image: Andrew Segreti