It’s tempting to ascribe a new layer of confidence on the material Lucy Dacus is bringing into her post–The Record era. Dacus certainly had a following before the release of the debut full-length from best-pals, indie-rock supergroup for which she claims one-third of the ownership, but boygenius rose to the level of sensation, headlining the likes of Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl and collecting a few Grammys as a final adornment on their gilded year. On “Best Guess,” there a tinge of sweet hopefulness that I don’t readily associate with Dacus’s solo work, so maybe there’s a little leftover strut to her demeanor.

Then again, nah. The significant pleasure of “Best Guess” comes from how snugly it fits in with Dacus’s general style. The songwriting is sharp, the music is enveloping and meticulously crafted, and the performance is emotionally vulnerable in striking ways. If somebody finds their way to this because their guided by the lingering aura of boygenius, that’s just dandy. But this is prime Dacus, no associations required to recognize its charms.

Forever Is a Feeling, the new album from Lucy Dacus, is scheduled for release in March.