Indie pop gem Máni Orrason’s newest single is a fitting addition to his already impressive catalogue.

Shockingly, this talented Icelandic artist has managed to fly relatively under the radar since the release of his debut album, 2015’s Repeating Patterns. But with the release of the latest single off his upcoming EP, Orrason seems poised to change that.

The recently released track, “Privilege of Time,” is a sparkly and fun confession of delusional love. Glistening with new wave synths and simple, heartfelt lyrics, the upbeat and emotionally wrought song is infectious. It’s almost impossible not to hear at least a little bit of Robert Smith when Orrason quavers lyrics like, “Why does summer come when I want to cry? / Runnin’ around just to feel alive / If I could understand… / Now I’m thinkin’ about seeing you again / Thinkin’ out loud, tryin’ to pretend / That me and my boyfriend, our love will never end.” The speaker is so in love with a man who, for one reason or another, is inaccessible (perhaps due to a long distance relationship).

That doesn’t stop him from pretending that they are together, though—so thoroughly that he may have actually tricked himself into believing that they are still happily together. Perhaps that is what “The Privilege of Time” refers to. By spending so much time apart from someone, missing them like crazy and thinking about them constantly, you can delude yourself to the point of blurring reality. Or perhaps Orrason is simply singing about the fact that he and his boyfriend will come out of this trial stronger from the time they’ve put into it, even while apart. Either way, it is a wonderfully layered song that is just as enjoyable on the surface as an upbeat and sparkly indie pop love song as it is when deconstructed into something deeper.

If you enjoy “The Privilege of Time,” be sure to check out the rest of Orrason’s musical offerings, keep an ear out for his upcoming EP, and check him out on tour in Europe until the end of the month.

Dustin DiPaulo is a writer and musician from Rochester, New York. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Florida Atlantic University and can most likely be found at a local concert, dive bar, or comedy club (if he’s not getting lost somewhere in the woods).

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