"A Closer Look at Paradise: Mustard Service’s Most Personal Album Yet"
(Artist Update)
Written by: Ginny Gaines
From Miami, these five guys, Marco Rivero Ochoa, Gabriel Marinuchi (aka "Nuchi"), Augusto "Tuto" Di Catarina, Leo Cattani, and Armando Baeza came together and formed their band, Mustard Service, in 2015. Marco, Augusto, and Armando had all played together in a previous band.
On August 21, 2026, Miami band Mustard Service released its new album Paradise, a 12-song record that shows a different side of the group. Known for its upbeat blend of indie rock, surf music, funk, jazz, bossa nova, and Latin sounds, Mustard Service has always had a colorful and relaxed style. But Paradise takes that familiar sound and puts it behind songs that deal with much more serious subjects, including love, loss, fear, death, memories, and the uncertainty of life. The result is an album that can sound warm and inviting while telling stories that are sometimes surprisingly heavy.
Mustard Service has been building its own sound since they formed in 2015. The group calls its style “zest pop,” and that description fits the band's mix of catchy melodies, laid-back rhythms, and different musical influences. Over the years, the band released albums including Zest Pop, C'est La Vie, Variety Pack, and Vice City Magic. The band's Miami background is an important part of its identity, and its music often carries the feeling of the city, sunny, colorful, relaxed, and full of different cultures and sounds. With Paradise, however, the band decided to look beyond the surface.
Much of the album's darker feeling comes from real experiences. Singer and guitarist Marco Rivero Ochoa has spoken about losing people and pets that were important to him, including his grandparents and his cat, Smokey. Those experiences caused him to think more about death, grief, and how quickly life can change. Instead of keeping those thoughts to himself, he turned them into songs. That gives Paradise an emotional quality that wasn't always as obvious in the band's earlier, more carefree music. The songs don't completely abandon Mustard Service's upbeat personality, but they give listeners something more serious to think about.
One of the songs that shows this change is “Sharks,” which was released as a single before the album. What sounds like a strange song about sharks is actually built around the idea of fear and the stories people create about things they don't understand. “Today I Killed My Son” goes even deeper into uncomfortable territory, while “Leap Year” looks at memories and the pain of losing someone. Another important song, “Psalm 2,” deals with destruction, death, and questions about what life means. These aren't necessarily the subjects listeners might expect from a band known for colorful, feel good music, but that contrast is what makes the record interesting.
The album also has plenty of moments that remind listeners why Mustard Service developed such a loyal following. Songs like “Aerolineas Mostaza” and “I Want It All” keep the energy moving, while “Who Knew Your Body” explores the confusion that can come when someone you once knew seems to have changed. Short pieces such as “The Clock” and “Caballito” help connect the larger songs and give the album room to breathe. The record closes with “Werewolves of Hialeah,” bringing the story back to Miami and ending the album with one of its more energetic moments.
Not every longtime listener has reacted to Paradise in exactly the same way. Some fans have missed the lighter and more playful feeling of the band's earlier records, while others appreciate the fact that Mustard Service is taking chances and showing a more mature side. That difference of opinion is understandable because Paradise isn't simply another version of the band's previous albums. It feels more personal and reflective. The musicians still know how to write catchy songs, but this time they are using those songs to talk about things that can be much harder to discuss.
In the end, Paradise is an album built around a simple but powerful contrast: the music can sound like sunshine while the stories underneath it deal with some of life's darkest moments. Mustard Service hasn't abandoned the sound that made the band unique; instead, it has given that sound a deeper purpose. Released on August 21, 2026, Paradise shows a Miami band growing up, looking at life from a different angle, and proving that bright music doesn't always have to tell a happy story. Sometimes the brightest sounds are the perfect place to tell the most difficult stories.
That's a wrap for my update on the new album release from Mustard Service...Thank you for reading and in closing, please know, Soundwave Music Media will be here and I will always do my best to bring you any updates as they emerge. Please consider supporting our Soundwave Foundation with a donation! Rock On! Until next time...🤘
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Written By: Ginny Gaines
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