Folk rocker Devendra Banhart is gracing us with a new album full of his dreamy, worldly and unpredictable style due out March 12.

Mala is Banhart’s eighth studio album and was recorded with his longtime bandmate, guitarist Noah Georgeson. They recorded the album using a vintage Tascam recorder they found in a pawn shop. “A lot of early hip-hop had been made on [the Tascam],” says Banhart. “And knowing my songs are not hip-hop whatsoever, we thought it would be interesting to see how these kinds of songs would sound on equipment that was used to record our favorite rap. Let’s see how this technology would work for us.”

As for the use of his voice on the album: “I don’t really take care of my voice, but, just like with playing guitar, you get more familiar with it, and you get better at it. I’ve always said that I’m very good at not knowing how to play the guitar but, really, it’s just that I’m very comfortable with the utter uncertainty of my approach.”

Mala, his debut with Nonesuch Records, is the follow up to 2009′s What Will Be Will Be, which received high critical acclaim. Judging from the newly released first two tracks from Mala, it sounds like Banhart has gone above and beyond his usual standard of a detailed, delicate sound, delivering a familiar sound with a slower, more sentimental tone.

Listen to Devendra Banhart’s New Songs “Never Seen Such Good Things” and “Für Hildegard von Bingen” off Mala, Out March 12:

“Never Seen Such Good Things”

“Für Hildegard von Bingen,” (above) is available as an instant download with pre-orders of Mala on CD and vinyl in the Nonesuch Store.

Download FREE Music

Connect With XRT On Facebook & Twitter