There’s something about Sleepy Gaucho‘s latest album, Morning Light, that makes it the perfect companion for a long, lonely summer road trip. The Wisconsin native’s mellow vocals and matter-of-fact demeanor work to ease the mind, while his Panamerican folk influences intersect with a dreamy ambiance, giving the entire project a warm glow.

Embedded within the album’s layers of golden-hour haze, however, is the true magic. A close listen to Morning Light presents Sleepy Gaucho as a true innovator; one who paints from a wide palette of familiar elements to create a sound quite unlike anything else.

One salient feature of Morning Light is the versatile use of the lap steel, which lean toward country western at some points (“Take Me For a Ride”), before whisking us away to the islands on a free-floating, psych-folk tune like “Castaway.” Fans of psychedelia will be happy to know that there’s plenty more where that came from, with “Mr. Wick” and the upbeat rock and roller “Halfway” serving as standout examples of sonic experimentation that would make George Harrison proud.

Morning Light was released via Milwaukee’s Hear Here Records on June 2. We’re happy that it made its way to us, and we think you will be, as well!