's eighth studio album, 2016's , is a lushly produced album rife with subtle melodies and lyrics that reveal singer/songwriter 's soul-scratching itch to wander windswept rural landscapes. While follows on the heels of his stripped-down 2015 effort, , given 's use of orchestral arrangements and varied instrumentation from organ and trumpet to lap steel guitar, the album has more in common with 2014's . As on that album, here pairs with producer , a longtime collaborator. Together, they decamped to 's Roundhead Studios in Auckland and, later, Linear Studios in Sydney to capture these nuanced, often delicately rendered compositions. Once again, the primary focus with is 's folky, poetic, acoustic guitar-based songs built around his idiosyncratic voice. It's a distinctive combination that brings to mind the fantastical combination of an elfin troubadour and , as well as more grounded comparisons like minus the R&B influence or with the Southern twang replaced by a British lilt. An air of wanderlust and a celebration of the life-renewing power of nature pervade the album. As sings on the title track, "I wanna feel a Russian winter/I wanna go to my Polish grandmother's home/I wanna see Hungarian lanterns/I wanna walk on a road that leads to Rome/I wanna be free as the wind that blows past me." And while there is a palpable joy in many of these songs, there is also a bittersweet quality, as if has been through a breakup or other loss. It's a tone he strikes best on his gossamer, Elizabethan-tinged duet with U.K. folk siren , "Beautiful Birds." They sing, "One day you asked for a different song/One that I just couldn't sing/I got the melody sharp and the words all wrong/Those were the last days of spring." Certainly, there are hooky, anthemic moments on , including the rambling, waltz-like "If You Go" and the rousing, declaratively romantic "Anywhere," both of which bring to mind a pleasing mix of and . That said, these are deeply thoughtful and sophisticated songs that may take more than one listen to truly appreciate. Ultimately, with , has crafted an album that, not unlike the oceans, fields, roads, and relationships that inspired it, remains with you, calling you to return. ~ Matt Collar