Sunflower Bean’s First Single of 2020 Looks On The Bright Side in “Moment in the Sun”

If there’s anything I’ve learned this year, it’s that it’s incredibly important to prioritize the ones that we love most and to never take the time with them for granted. New York City’s Sunflower Bean (Julia Cumming, Nick Kivlen, and Jacob Faber) feel the same way. Their brand new single “Moment In The Sun,” which also happens to be the first they’ve released in 2020 thus far, is all about living in the moment and being grateful for what it is. The track, which was written over two years ago, is a slight sonic departure from their previous work, but they felt like it was a crucial time in history to release the song, which has been released as a standalone single.

“‘Moment In The Sun’ is about finally recognizing what is important in one’s life, the people you decide to spend it with,” Sunflower Bean explains of the track. “All of these things we distract ourselves with, the never-ending mountain of career climbing, the pursuit of financial success, and the hope that after all that trying you could finally be cool. All of that is meaningless in comparison to one great day, hour, or moment with someone you really love.”

The track still emulates similar retro, throwback-inspired riffs and a mellow vibe reminiscent of the ’70s, a sound that’s prevalent in most of Sunflower Bean’s music. But this track has a lightness to it that isn’t as familiar in their earlier work, echoing the sounds of artists like HAIM and First Aid Kit—and a little bit of Cheryl Crow’s “Soak Up The Sun.” Honestly, you can also just go to the nearest open field of sunflowers and run through it while listening to this song. Thank me later.

“Moment In The Sun” was produced by Dave Bassett, who’s worked with the likes of Vance Joy, Bishop Briggs, Fitz and The Tantrums, and more—and Jacob Portrait from Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The track is accompanied by a stunningly beautiful music video that was made in quarantine by Andy DeLuca and Sarah Eisman, co-staring Cumming and Marquis Rodriguez—actor from Ava DuVernay’s Emmy-nominated limited series When They See Us.

Sunflower Bean’s 2018 album TwentyTwo In Blue skyrocketed on the UK’s Top 40 charts, which led to the success of their 2019 EP, King of The Dudes. The band has toured with artists like Beck, Cage the Elephant, Interpol, Courtney Barnett and more.

While it’s unknown if Sunflower Bean plans to drop more music this year, I plan to bop to this track for the next few months.

Stream “Moment In The Sun” on your preferred streaming platform now.