Folk monster M. Ward is coming back this spring with the new solo album Migration Stories. It’s Ward’s follow-up to What A Wonderful Industry, the surprise LP that he surprise-released in 2018. Ward recorded the new album in Quebec with Arcade Fire members Tim Kingsbury and Richard Reed Parry helping him out. We’ve already posted the early single “Migration Of Souls.” Today, Ward has shared another new one called “Unreal City.”

“Unreal City” does not seem to be named after the Pittsburgh hardcore band of the same name. Indeed, it doesn’t seem to be inspired by that band in any way, which is too bad. Instead, it’s a soft and expansive midtempo number that’s driven by luxuriant synth-wobbles and ba-ba-ba backup vocals. There are some nice handclaps in there, too.

Like a lot of other M. Ward songs, “Unreal City” is power pop that doesn’t seem especially concerned with ideas of power. Ward sings it like he’s a half-asleep Elvis Costello, murmuring to himself as if he’s trying to remember the dream that he just had. Check it out below.

Migration Stories is out 4/3 on Anti Records. Pre-order it here.