Gardens & Villa is the project of five college friends that reformed in 2008 after originally playing together as a pop-punk band. Their name was inspired by the simple appreciation of where they live: the garden they take care of at their house on Villa Street. It’s uncomplicated and also a great mental picture of five musicians in their garden on a summer afternoon in Santa Barbara. The music they make is self described as having “coco vibes,” reflecting the unique culture of their coastal city and can be heard throughout the album with a psychedelic, electro-pop feel.
“Orange Blossom” received a lot of attention earlier in the year when it was released on their Bandcamp page, and just a few weeks ago an acoustic performance recorded with Yours Truly was premiered. The tune is filled with dreamy synths, pop remnants, and most uniquely, a bansuri flute. The instrument is tied to ancient Buddhist paintings depicting love stories and was thought to have an enchanting effect on women. Maybe that’s the result they were going for, especially paired with lyrics like “to pollinate means ecstasy.” It catches you slightly off guard and then you realize how much you like the playfulness, sensuality, and sincerity rolled up into this one piece of music.
Last year, after two weeks of camping behind Richard Swift’s studio in Oregon, the guys made a promise to always play all elements of their music live. It’s a righteous ambition and their happiness and cohesion as group are present through the music.