“The Sun Roars Into View” is the newly released duet from instrumental artists Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld. 

This single is one of the tracks from their upcoming LP album “Never Were the Way She Was,” which is to be released April 28.

With Neufeld’s ebbing violin and Stetson’s elaborate saxophone counterpart, the music is nicely balanced with the background synthesizers matching the intensity level. “The Sun Roars Into View” begins with a light-hearted violin and is soon joined by a bass harmonium. 

While the changing dynamics and varying crescendos help keep the song on pace and intriguing, seven and a half minutes is still too long for a single piece. The music began to sound monotonous instead of compelling after only a few minutes. 

Once the emotional build of this song comes in around the five minute mark, the listener’s attention is recaptured again and is led up to the ending note. 

Neufeld’s vocals enter at this point, almost howling back at Stetson’s responding saxophone. Listening to this harmony is chilling and takes more of a dark night desperation mood than early dawn. However, the title does suggest the sun is roaring, and I would consider this musical moment to be the sun’s frenzied energy finally reaching over the horizon.

The emotion conveyed in this piece is incredible. It feels to be the work of multiple musicians, instead of a duet. Both Stetson and Neufeld have a subtle touch on their work that allows the listener to feel every shift in feeling and the depth of the anguish and excitement they experience. 

The fading saxophone with the supporting bass finishes the song with tranquility. There is a sense of completion at the end, and the listener is almost exhausted from the emotional journey they have just experienced. 

Overall, this instrumental number was passionate and well balanced. It is a mesmerizing piece that requires a great deal of emotional commitment from the listener; “The Sun Roars Into View” is not an easy listening song.