The Montreal musicians that congregate around Arbutus Records often have an early morning eeriness to them. That’s usually translated through an electronic sound found most notably on Doldrums’ Lesser Evil and Grimes’ Visions and more recently on the incredible single “Malachite” by Lydia Ainsworth. But that romanticism and otherworldliness shows up in more traditional ways, too, like Sean Nicholas Savage’s sparse, lovely “Heartless,” from earlier this year, and now the new single by TOPS. It’s a track filled with gently twangy guitar lines and lyrics, delivered by whispery vocalist Jane Penny, that evoke a sort of half-awake poetry: “Hold on to words/ when you are sleeping/ words you forget in the daylight/ words that you are speaking.” Forget how often the term “dream pop” gets tossed around — this band seriously earns it. Listen below and check out a few tour dates.

07/19 Toronto, ON @ Wrongbar (Arbutus x Cascine Showcase)
07/30 Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall (with Blood Orange)

The single is available now via Arbutus.