Mumford and Sons’ music has been a constant in my household ever since I was young enough to remember listening to music. My mom was always migrating from artist to artist; the soundtrack to my early childhood was characterized by musicians like The Beatles, Jack Johnson, The Verve Pipe, and countless others. So, in short, I am very familiar with the particular sound of Mumford and Sons. Typically characterized by somber, moody, and thoughtful music, the British Indie band’s new album Delta does not stray far from the norm.

Most of the tracks feature short, one to two-word titles, yet the album is anything but short and sweet. Delta, their fourth album, consists of approximately one hour of alternative music appropriate for laying in bed, self-reflecting, or simply enjoying a peaceful moment.  Marcus Mumford’s soft, somewhat haunting vocals combined with the thoughtful strumming of the guitar gives the album a calming, peaceful feel.

Their 2015 album, Wilder Minds, was a change from their original acoustic sound to something more electric. According to an article by Rolling Stone, this switch began to “divide their fanbase” while also being “a liberator,” according to bassist Ted Dwane. After that experiment with different sounds, Mumford and Sons made the decision to bring back their original acoustic sounds to their latest album.

The album begins with the track “42,” a compilation of beautiful, yet somewhat boring melodies. For me, this track didn’t seem like the best song to begin an album with. The beat didn’t prove to be anything new or exciting, and while the words remained somewhat clear, the meaning seemed to get lost. I found myself losing interest throughout the duration of the four minutes; it was as if I was just waiting to skip to the next song, “Guiding Light.” This song, unlike the previous, proved to be much more pleasing.

For me, “Guiding Light” had a lighter, more upbeat feel and was full of hope. In this track, Mumford and Sons talks about the strength found in a lover, which overall gave the piece a more positive aura. The lyrics “‘Cause even when there is no star in sight, you’ll always be my only guiding light” further emphasizes the message of reliance found in another person as well as serves as a beautiful chorus throughout the song. The optimistic mood was a good change from the rest of the album and provided somewhat of a relief from the previous track.

My favorite song by far, though, is “Woman.” Filled to the brim with eerie background noises and soft melodies, this song made me feel as though I was packed inside of a warm car, traveling along a dark road lined with soft snow. The comforting sound of Mumford seemed to reach through my headphones, as if embracing me in a virtual hug. The message in the song remains somewhat unclear; however, the repetition of the word “woman” and the chorus “Do you ever really know? Can you ever really know?” creates the impression of a story about an infatuation with a woman, whose love is possibly unrequited.

The closing song on the album fits perfectly into place. Nestled into spot number fourteen, “Delta” is a perfect conclusion to the album. Being the longest of the album, with a length of six minutes and sixteen seconds, it features a slow, almost too long build up to an intense and passionate chorus and ending. For me, I wish that the song would have built up a bit faster, but when it did actually reach the chorus, the wait proved to be worth it. Perhaps this bout of power is a symbol for the rise of the album?

As a whole, Delta is a combination of many slow, mostly soft songs with a few outliers that feature more enthusiastic and electric tones. It seems fitting that this album was released in December because it is the perfect wintertime soundtrack due to its more melancholy mood. Overall, Delta is nothing new from the usual sound of Mumford and Sons; however, it still remains enjoyable to listen to.