A few weeks back, Yeah Yeah Yeahs enticed us with a short teaser video that brought news of its long-awaited return with its fourth album Mosquito. While obviously welcome news for fans waiting for a new record, the video also hinted a musical evolution: The snippet had a gauzier pop feel, almost like a Beach House song, but refracted through frontwoman Karen O’s enigmatic point of view.
Now, the band has offered up the album’s first single, “Sacrilege,” a song that’s not quite the raw dance punk of Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ earlier albums, nor the more polished synthy pop of its last record, 2009’s It’s Blitz! Instead, the song showcases a bigger sound — short bursts of guitar riffs, a propulsive groove and the mysterious, seething voice of Karen O — made to fill larger halls and outdoor festivals. “Sacrilege” may begin as a lean rocker, but it quickly builds tension that finally peaks into a full-on anthem, complete with a soaring gospel choir.