High Highs members Jack Milas and Oli Chang recently spent a good deal of time spent driving through the expansive Cascade Mountains. The Brooklyn-based duo’s new album Cascades is the musical runoff from that experience. The entire release has the feel of a memory. It aims for — and pulls off — a grander sound than the band has ever attempted.

The title track, for instance, beautifully layers Milas’ falsetto over the intertwining sound of guitar and synth. It’s one of many songs with a transportive, dream-like appeal. “Catch The Wind” creates a similar dreamy, layered sound through harmonies and the band’s experimental use of drums, a new ingredient for High Highs.

Though they recorded much of Cascades in upstate New York, High Highs found that their heads were in another place during production — namely the place they still call home, Australia. They drew inspiration from ’80s Australian bands and the sweet, warm feeling of summer, as heard in songs like “Sun.” This distant feeling can also be heard throughout the album’s conceptual lyrics, which feel like pieces of memories — fragmented, lost, somewhere other than here. In actuality, though, the album is imminent, and you can stream the whole thing below.

In support of Cascades, the band is set to embark on a North American tour. See the dates below.

03/09 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
03/11 Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar
03/12 Seattle, WA @ Barboza
03/29 Toronto, ON @ The Drake
03/30 Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
03/31 Burlington, VT @ Signal Kitchen
04/02 Allston, MA @ Great Scott
04/06 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
0407 Washington, DC @ Black Cat Backstage

Cascades is out 2/5 on [PIAS]. Pre-order it at iTunes or on vinyl.