In early July, Mutual Benefit, aka Jordan Lee, announced his first album in five years: Growing At The Edges, which features Gabe Birnbaum of Wilder Maker stepping in as co-producer and string arrangements from violinist Concetta Abbate. Upon announcing the album, Lee shared the lovely lead single “Little Ways,” and today he’s back with the elegant, piano-accented follow-up “Wasteland Companions.”

“‘Wasteland Companions’ was inspired by a bittersweet hike I took years ago where the final vista revealed the aftermath of a forest fire,” Lee says. “While it was a terrible sight, I was also moved by the new growth popping up. The imagery stayed with me and served as an important reminder of the life-changing relationships that can flourish in adverse conditions.”

Listen to “Wasteland Companions.”

Growing At The Edges is out 10/6 on Transgressive.