Mat Hunsley perfectly encapsulates the essence of lasting friendships in four folky minutes.

It’s an unavoidable fact of life that friendships become inevitably strained by the distance forced between individuals. No matter how close you were with your best friend in high school, if your paths diverge at college it can put a wedge between you that may be irreparable.

Fortunately, this isn’t always the case and Mat Hunsley‘s latest single, Do You Need Me Near, is testament to this. To the tune of gentle percussion brushes and plucked acoustic guitars, Hunsley wears his heart on his sleeve as he expresses the satisfaction of having formed friendships that are not weathered by distance or time.

It’s very minimalist from an instrumental perspective, but the track shines a light onto the impressive poetry that Hunsley is capable of. While the chorus has a brilliant closing vocal that inspires singalongs, the lyrics manage to express the beauty of lasting friendship with arguably the most eloquent phrasing possible. It’s a shining example of what makes Hunsley one of music’s most hotly-tipped emerging songwriters.