Erik Hall is the Chicago born and raised musician behind In Tall Buildings. Hall likes to sum up his music making philosophy in two quotes by Allen Ginsburg and Kurt Vonnegut, respectively: “First thought, best thought,” and “Edit yourself, mercilessly.” The nugget of wisdom from Ginsburg stresses instinctual, natural compositions, while Vonnegut’s words emphasize an opposite idea: never succumbing to complete satisfaction with your work because art is a never-ending, ever-evolving process. Although the two philosophies reside at opposite ends of the inspiration spectrum, Hall masterfully merges them. “Flare Gun,” from In Tall Buildings’ upcoming album Driver, creates a serene pop soundscape where gut-trusting simplicity and thoughtful modification intersect. The result is a track that feels both personal to Hall and available for interpretation by a listener. Listen below.

Driver is out 2/17 on Western Vinyl. Pre-order it in physical and digital formats.