It’s hard not to dance when you hear Sylvan Esso’s smooth and spunky new single, “Sunburn.” The entrancing music practically pulls you out of your seat and forces you onto the nearest dance floor. You’ll feel the beat pulsing through your veins, and your body might start to groove on its own.
The duo delivered a fun pop hit just in time for summer. The first 15 seconds of the track are misleading; the first verse is sung over a very simple melody. I initially thought it would be a minimalistic track that I wouldn’t enjoy much, but once the chorus kicks off, so does a funky synth beat. The hypnotic mix of synth and smooth vocals give the track its irresistible pull.
I love the ocean / I love the air / I love the feeling that I get out there / I love to drive as fast as I can to be with them
“Sunburn” is the kind of song that makes you appreciate being alive. I can imagine someone sticking their head through a sunroof and screaming these lines to the sky. These lines showcase the euphoric feeling that Sylvan Esso sings about chasing. It’s all about maintaining the thrill of life, no matter the cost.
Sunburn blistering / The heat under your skin / Oh, but it felt so good / So why wouldn’t you keep on taking?
The vibes are immaculate, but buried beneath the funk is an important message. Aesop once said that it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and that’s what this song is about: indulging to the point of hurting yourself, but enjoying the feeling too much to stop.
In a press release for the song, Sylvan Esso likened the song to “eating candy til you’re sick; riding your bike too fast down a hill; when you’re five years old and don’t want to get out of the water, and by the end you’re shivering and all your fingers are prune-y and your lips are turned purple; an undertow that sneaks up unsuspectingly; the painful pulsing pink of swollen eyelids leftover after a day lying in the sun; plunging forward without time for second-guessing.”
My favorite way to ruin me / To eat the sweet right when I see it / And never stop to think or breathe
The duo ends the song with the same lines they started it with, circling back to the self-destructive tendencies. You can play out in the sun all day, but you might get burned if the proper measures aren’t taken. Still, most people would choose to take the risk for the experience. The same goes for all indulgences — if you partake without restraint, it could be detrimental to you. We tend not to think about the consequences of our greed until it’s too late.
While the overall vibe of the song is upbeat and care-free, Sylvan Esso leaves us with a subtle reminder that there is always a consequence to overindulging.
