Avoiding the common traps of the solo debut—namely, underconfidence and overconfidence—Patrick McGuire, formerly of Flashbulb Fires, has recently returned with a new project, Straight White Teeth. In January, McGuire released Straight White Teeth’s debut album, A Merciful, recorded entirely by himself in his bedroom.

Bedroom recording or no bedroom recording, McGuire retains the lush, nuanced palette that garnered his former band widespread adoration (including 12 straight weeks on the CMJ charts) and plum opening spots (for the likes of Imagine Dragons and the Lumineers).

McGuire’s lovely, layered aesthetic takes center stage on his latest track, “Vacations.” A study in contrasts, the song places the spiraling, psychedelic textures of the arrangement alongside the insistent forward motion of the drums, all sitting underneath McGuire’s breathy, hypnotic, innocent yet knowing vocals (shades of Animal Collective’s Panda Bear or a young Brian Wilson).

Check out “Vacations” below and find Straight White Teeth on tour.