Pop music is chock full of people flexing. Sure, it goes all the way back to the days of vaudeville, but especially in the 21st century, Billboard chart-toppers can’t seem to stop talking about how hot, rich, or tough they are. Such bold boasts are appealing to emulate amidst teenage angst, but as music lovers mature, they’ll realize that lyrical brags aren’t as impactful as they may seem at first, at least compared to forming a legitimate connection between performer and listener.

That’s where Austin multi-instrumentalist Danny Golden comes in. In the near-ten years since he wrapped up his Bach-meets-bluegrass college thesis, Danny’s learned that the golden ticket to truly unique impressions is overlooking the frivolity of possessions and appearance and diving straight into the universal well of emotions. In that spirit, Danny Golden’s upcoming full-length Being There isn’t just a platform to work with John Mayer/Leon Bridges/Paul Cauthen producer Electrophunck or jam with contributors from Texas Gentlemen, Sir Woman, and Jon Batiste’s band; it’s a potent nine-tune exploration of human fragility created through a shared sense of time and space.

True to its title, Being There‘s reflections on staying in the moment, of not looking too far back or forwards, lends itself to the LP’s sonic eclecticism, that while rooted in indie rock, features some out-there flavors that reflect the nuances of our feelings. Shortly after Being There drops on Friday, Danny Golden is set to spend the rest of the month on a national tour alongside KUTX favorite Matthew Logan Vasquez, where he’ll no doubt forge plenty of fervent bonds with listeners across the country. So like a sonic trust fall, step into your own personal Danny Golden therapy session with a four-minute testament to the magic of inherent human relation, “22 Tango”.