Hovvdy partners Austin musicians Charlie Martin and Will Taylor in service of woozy, dreamy indie-pop. The duo’s 2018 sophomore effort Cranberry was extremely pretty, but it didn’t prepare us for the leap they’ve made with Heavy Lifter, out next week. Those who’ve checked out early singles “Cathedral,” “Ruin (my ride),” and especially the anxious millennial lullaby “So Brite” may be getting the picture.

If you haven’t yet caught on, Hovvdy are giving you one more chance ahead of release day in the form of “Mr. Lee.” It’s an upbeat track by this band’s standards, with propulsive drum programming, playful saloon piano, and an arching octave hook bursting from within the usual reverie. Their singing betrays a bit of Texas twang that isn’t always evident in Hovvdy songs, and recurring calls to “Wake up!” run counter to the duo’s usual vibed-out sleepiness.

Here’s Martin with the requisite background info:

I imagined Mr. Lee on the Mississippi gulf coast where my dad and grandparents live. It’s a beautiful and sad place. The song is about how significant very small things can be. Sometimes it takes courage to be kind to yourself. It’s really amazing when little events coalesce and all the sudden you feel better, awake, a vibrant piece of the bigger picture.

Listen below.

Heavy Lifter is out 10/18 on Double Double Whammy. Pre-order it here.