Arren’s new single Rising Sun can be best described as a warm exhale. It’s gentle and filled with heart.
Released today, the track sees the Dublin-based artist embracing what I would describe as a softer, more reflective sound while keeping the emotional honesty that’s always defined his work. Produced by Gary Duncan of Red Lake Sound Studios, Rising Sun has folk textures and Americana hues, featuring Dutch musician Tom Hartman on harmonica and banjo. It’s a song that carries both ache and affection. It is a love letter to home, to parents, and to all the bittersweet pull and push that comes along with those themes.
Where previous releases from Arren have leaned more toward anthemic pop-rock energy, this one takes a slower, softer turn. The production unfolds slowly, soft guitar lines, brushed percussion, and those unmistakable Arren vocals. The emotional peak isn’t a loud crescendo but a quiet acceptance. It’s restrained, sure, but it still gives that emotional sense that a lot of Arren’s music captures so well.
There’s a calm confidence to Rising Sun, the kind that comes from an artist growing into himself. The instrumental break midway drifts like a memory, giving space for reflection before easing back into the closing chorus. Arren’s ability to make something so understated feel so full should really be applauded here. It’s not about volume or pace, it’s about emotion, space, and connection.
With visuals and acoustic versions set to follow. This slow-burning, heartfelt, and beautifully human track might just be his most personal moment yet.
Rising Sun comes in with a 7.5 out of 10
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography