Mhostly Ghostly, a rock duo founded by Jeremy Blas and Simon Olander, is a self-proclaimed “Seattle garage psych noise cult.” However, their new single, “Mud” seems to be a stark departure from their usual sound of busy, garage-psych, rock rhythms. “Mud,” in contrast, is a light-hearted tune with a buoyant melody that picks you up and carries you over a soft summer wind, setting you gently down on a grassy hill. At certain points of the song, the unhurried measures are reminiscent of the drifting proclivity of Mac DeMarco’s vocals.

The simple, carefree “da da da, da da da” smattered throughout the lyrics pairs well with the steady strumming of an acoustic guitar. The guitar is arguably the anchor of the laid back melody, and the vocals seem to be more of its subdued counterpart. Though “Mud” is a m(h)ostly breezy and carefree tune, there is a clear shift near the middle of the song, where a noticeable change occurs: a tune reminiscent of a Western is evoked — during that quintessential scene where guns are about to be drawn. The song slows down, building an intense urgency with the stalled drum beats.

The melody seamlessly transitions right back into its initial lightness after the brief climax, demonstrating the band’s polymorphous ability to shift moods within a single song. The single is assuredly soothing and warm, a welcome auditory distraction from Seattle’s current indifferently wet winter season. Perhaps “Mud” can be read — or rather, heard — as the aftermath of a hard rainfall, the hope of sunnier days to come, and a reminder of “how it is, how it is, how it is.”