MUST LISTEN: Ekali and Illenium finally release gut-wrenching melodic bass cut, ‘Hard To Say Goodbye’

Ekali may be busy getting engaged, supporting Illenium on his Ascend tour, and making festival rounds of his own, but that hasn’t stopped the Canadian producer from putting the finishing touches on his debut album. An official release date has yet to be announced, although Ekali has already released “Runaway,” “Be Fine,” “Back To You,’ which are all suspected to be on the album.

Arriving as the fourth star-studded collaboration on Ekali’s forthcoming debut LP comes “Hard To Say Goodbye,” out now on Atlantic Records. With Illenium on co-production, along with Chloe Angelides‘ breathtakingly angelic vocals, the track absolutely soars. Angelides’ lyrics cover the full breadth and depth of emotions that accompany meeting one’s soul mate and wanting to stay in one fluttering moment forever.

The track is lathered up with so many feel-good elements, but there’s still lyrical tension present in the fear of not wanting to break away from the “perfect” moment. Equipped with soft guitar plucks, Ekali’s emotive chord progressions, Illenium’s signature drops and percussive work, and soothing breaks to boot, it makes it hard to say goodbye to the track itself.

Illenium and Ekali have been teasing the track since EDC Las Vegas, with both artists making it a staple in their respective tour sets ever since. However, the single’s wide release signals that Ekali’s incoming studio full-length is coming soon. Given how his A World Away tour kicks off in February, we’re venturing to guess the LP lands around that time.

Listen to the track and view Ekali’s upcoming tour dates below.