I admit that I am a particular sort of person and that I’m always off somewhere. However, there are times when I find myself slowing down; one such instance was when I saw a sunset. The sky turned pink and at that moment I realized that this situation would never occur again-tomorrow the clouds will be different, the light will be different, and I myself will not be the same.
Beauty should not be postponed. It doesn’t have a ‘remind me later’ option. When I first heard Elyse Saunders‘ new single ‘Chasing Sunsets’ I was overcome by a strong desire to be present in the moment. It is very difficult for me to picture this song being sung in an apartment in front of a laptop; it seems too confined for such a setting. Instead, it was meant for open car windows, warm wind, and that particular time when the sun slowly sinks below the horizon. The song starts with a clear beat, a pulsing bass, and acoustic guitars. Inside its clear pop structure are electric guitar riffs and some country influences. The chorus begins promptly and the song progresses in a smooth and confident manner.
Saunders’ voice is clear and warm, having a slightly country roughness in the higher notes; when singing the verses she does so calmly and in a trusting manner, while in the chorus she sings out fully. The song was written by Saunders and TJ Simpson, with Adam Newcomb taking charge of the production. Saunders didn’t go to the studio at first: for many years the song was performed at concerts and stayed one of the audience’s favourite tracks. It was only after observing this response that Saunders realised that the time had finally come for its release.
The song “Chasing Sunsets” is concerned with finding light during difficult times, and in this instance the sunset acts as a brief interruption during which the fiery sky switches off the surrounding noise and once again gives the world a feeling of order. To promote the release, the singer made a music video which matches the atmosphere quite well. “Chasing Sunsets” is a bright and well put together single whose one simple idea is that from time to time it is enough just to slow down and take notice of the world around us again.
If you’re in a hurry and have to go somewhere tonight, play this song, lower the window, and ride through each turn at a speed a bit slower than normal. After that, stop and look towards the horizon. It’s possible that this is precisely the sunset which will never happen again.
