Beach Fossils initially broke through with lo-fi guitar-pop that felt like a dream, existing somewhere between the easygoing nostalgia of chillwave and the scraggly basement rock of Times New Viking and their ilk. Their sound has evolved significantly over the years, but I’ve never heard it translated more beautifully to a hi-fi context than on “This Year,” the lead single from their new LP Somersault. The guitars chime with a translucent brightness, the rhythm section surges with purpose, and the string section(!) adds grandeur to a song that was already soaring high above the surface of the Earth. Dustin Payseur imagines that this will be the year he finally gets it together before sighing to himself, “No, I won’t be there in time.” The music’s sheer beauty dispels any notions of personal stagnation, though. Hear it via director Joey Chriqui’s simple, effective video below.

The Somersault tracklist notably features appearances from Cities Aviv and Slowdive/Minor Victories’ Rachel Goswell:

01 “This Year”
02 “Tangerine” (Feat. Rachel Goswell)
03 “Saint Ivy”
04 “May 1st”
05 “Rise” (Feat. Cities Aviv)
06 “Sugar”
07 “Closer Everywhere”
08 “Social Jetlag”
09 “Down The Line”
10 “Be Nothing”
11 “That’s All For Now”

Somersault is out 6/2 on Bayonet. Pre-order it in physical or digital formats. A limited edition white and red splattered vinyl is available here along with bonus goodies.