“Lonely Sunset” – Lovespirals (2022)
We could be together
Walking these lonely streets alone
Can’t find nobody to call my own
Thinking of you, wondering where you’ve gone
And wishing we could be together
Memories fading, still they linger on
I’m watching the sunset, dreaming of the dawn
Well, our love has passed, though not forgotten
I’m wishing we could be together
We could be together
Call my own (x5)
Everywhere I go I still search for you
Haunting all the places that we once knew
Even though its hard, its all I can do
Never find another love that’s half as true
We could be together…
NOTE: This song has a long and complicated history. In early February 2012 Trance producer, Aerotek, posted a song to SoundCloud which used a short “love you” sample as its sole vocal. I found it wonderfully catchy with its hybrid of trace, love step, and retro-80’s chill, and was immediately inspired to sing along. I quickly came up with the first verse and sang it into my iPhone to sent to Stefano aka Aerotek, who I had known online for some time due to his being a fan of my work with Bitstream Dream and Lovespirals. Stefano loved my demo, encouraging me to complete the lyrics and send him final vocal files.
By late February Stefano and I were in talks with Perceptive Recordings for a “My Lonely Sunset” release package with an Original Mix, Extended Vocal Mix, and a Dub Mix. On April 1, 2012 the Sunset Melodies show did a feature on Aerotek which included the unreleased original mix and the response was extremely positive. In late April we both signed contracts with Perceptive and worked with the label to select a cover photograph. In early October Perceptive arranged a remix by Mobil. By late January 2013 we still hadn’t received contracts for the single so Stefano considered using his own Transtechnia label to release some other collaborations that he and I were working on in the meantime.
Things finally started moving again with Perceptive and by the first week of February 2013 we agreed upon a final cover design. In late March we both received contracts from Perceptive, in April we hashed out various points, and by May 1st we had both sent in our signed contracts. The “Lonely Sunset” single was set for an official release date of May 27, but ahead of that a DJ promotion — including the new Mobil remix — was sent out via Label Worx. However before the release dropped Stefano apparently pulled the release because a larger label approached him with an offer to release the track on a new local division which he deemed a better opportunity. On early August 15, 2014 a music video for his original mix was posted to the Aerotek YouTube channel featuring Stefano jet setting to DJ a club. In September2013 Stefano suggested we self-release the track for free as the local division had never gotten off the ground, effectively killing our deal. I suggested we use my Chillcuts label to release it digitally but we never reached an agreement.
Years passed with no word and then in February 2018 I released the Mobil remix on my Bandcamp page, along with a music video filmed in Hawaii on the Anji Bee YouTube channel. In early May 2020 Aerotek and I revived the idea of releasing the single but Stefano wanted to create a new mix as he felt the original song was too dated for his current DJ sets. In late September Stefano reached out to say that the producers he had lined up for remixes fell through, so the single would include an Original Mix (of the new version), an Instrumental Mix, a DJ Friendly Mix, and a Radio Edit. He planned to release it on his own label and sent me the new cover art and mixes. Ryan reached out with a request to do a Lovespirals mix, which Stefano agreed to. The Lovespirals mix was completed and shared with Stefano the first week of November. Several weeks later Stefano said he was putting the release on hold to deal with personal issues and we never heard from him again.
In the summer of 2022 Ryan decided to rework his mix to further individuate it from both the Aerotek and Mobil mixes. The Lovespirals version is in a different key, being minor rather than major, contains different chords, and is a much mellower musical genre. The addition of guitar, unique vocal samples, and different vocal processing all create a unique mood which suits my lyrics quite well and makes the song fit into our Lovespirals discography nicely. As I had always adored these lyrics and vocals, I am very happy to finally have this song available as an official part of my discography.