With “Aperol”, rising indie force DLG. (David De La Garza) delivers a sun-drenched dose of emotional clarity, cementing his reputation as one of the genre’s most soulful, genre-blurring storytellers. The track, released in anticipation of his debut album, blends shimmering indie-pop textures with deeply personal lyricism, capturing a fleeting summer memory with vivid, cinematic ease.
Coming off the reflective momentum of his last single “Rich Man”, DLG. takes a lighter but no less affecting turn with “Aperol”, drawing listeners into a nostalgic vignette of love at its most innocent. The song’s backstory, about an impulsive visit to New York during a heat wave to chase the earliest sparks of a four-year relationship, infuses every line with a wistful kind of joy, a celebration of possibility even in the face of inevitable heartbreak.
Musically, “Aperol” is pure golden hour. Sun-kissed guitar lines ripple beneath DLG.’s effortlessly warm and textured vocals, while hazy synths and soft percussion conjure the euphoric stillness of a city moment suspended in time. The production is sophisticated yet unpretentious, a tightrope between indie cool and emotional openness, somewhere between the worlds of Tame Impala’s sonic richness and Mac Miller’s lyrical intimacy.
Where “Rich Man” leaned into introspection, “Aperol” floats. It’s a celebration of the beginning, not the end—and DLG. lets that feeling linger, refusing to drown it in melancholy. Even in its moments of emotional depth, the song stays buoyant, a testament to DLG.’s gift for balancing vulnerability with levity.
With his debut album arriving soon and a fall tour just announced, DLG. is stepping boldly into the next phase of a career that’s already caught the attention of 50 million+ streamers and industry tastemakers. If “Aperol” is any indication, the album will be both an intimate diary and an expansive sonic experience, and DLG. is more than ready for his spotlight.