At first glance, “Tempelhof,” the first single from the upcoming solo release by Zula’s Nate Terepka, could fit snuggly into the world of Beatles-inspired indie pop. An easy voice delivers a lazy melody over charming piano, while a cymbals-free drum beat skips along. But, as with Terepka’s work in Zula, there’s more to the track than it seems. The already syncopated beat nonchalantly meanders into irregular time signatures as the chords dance into bright but unexpected progressions. The mastery of Terepka’s songwriting is that “Tempelhof” doesn’t present itself as unusual or overly complex. It’s a cozy, welcoming track fit to a breezy summer day without playing into the common tropes of pop music. Listen to “Tempelhof” below and keep an eye out for Terepka’s Sunlight Farm EP, due May 25th from Fox Food Records. – Cameron Carr
