Souvenir is POP ETC’s fourth album but only the second under their current name, having released two past albums as the Morning Benders. Frontman Chris Chu had been working tirelessly writing new music since 2012, but not until recently did he truly find inspiration for this latest project. What he discovered was a sense of catharsis, what it means to recognize it and hold onto it as we continue to grow. With that in mind, POP ETC were able to craft what became Souvenir, channeling their ideas about metamorphosis into titles like “I Wanted To Change The World But The World Changed Me.”

Sonically, Souvenir juxtaposes the mature themes with a youthful energy. Chu’s classic guitar-pop affinities remain, but because the majority of the album was recorded in the band’s Brooklyn apartment, experimental electronic elements and more synthetic sounds work their way into danceable tracks like “Vice” and “What Am I Becoming?” After much hard work, POP ETC was able to create a cumulative album of all of their efforts over the past several years — a souvenir of that time in their lives. Stream the whole album below.

POP ETC are heading back out on tour starting this week in NYC. See the dates below.

01/28 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY ^

01/29 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom ^

01/30 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club ^

02/29 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club *

03/01 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *

03/02 Detroit, MI @ The Shelter *

03/04 Toronto, ON @ Adelaide Hall *

03/07 Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *

03/08 New York, NY @ Santos Party House *

03/10 Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore *

03/11 Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall *

03/12 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West at King Plow Arts Center *

03/15 Houston, TX @ House of Blues: Bronze Peacock *

03/19 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues: Cambridge Room *

03/21 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre *

03/22 Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Sound *

03/24 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey *

03/25 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *

03/28 San Francisco, CA @ Social Hall SF *

03/30 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Bahia *

03/31 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues *

^ w/ Oh Wonder

* w/ with BANNERS and The Moth & The Flame

Souvenir is out today in Japan via Sony Japan and worldwide this Friday, 1/29, via POP ETC Records. Pre-order it at iTunes or Amazon.