There’s no slow build-up to Nolan Meteor’s arrival. With ABLAZE!, released July 26, the New Jersey newcomer crashes in fully lit, fusing bright pop-rock melodies with a restless undercurrent that keeps things from feeling too clean. It’s three minutes of tension and release, equal parts sing-along and cathartic shout.
From its reverb-heavy intro to its explosive hook, “ABLAZE!” wears its heart on its sleeve. Nolan carries clear influences like 5 Seconds of Summer and The 1975, which come through in the song’s big, open-armed chorus — but there’s a vulnerability here that keeps it from being just another pop-rock anthem. “I’m losing my mind, how are you this calm?” he sings, caught between love and anxiety, joy and uncertainty.
According to Nolan, the track nods to Bukowski’s famous “find what you love and let it kill you” quote, turning it into something both romantic and self-revealing. There’s clearly someone grounding him in these lines — but also the sense that the chase for perfection, for the art itself, is just as consuming. That duality gives the song its spark: sweet on the surface, restless underneath.
For a first single, ABLAZE! feels surprisingly sure-footed: less demo, more declaration. It’s easy to picture this song ripping live, sweaty crowds shouting back every line, but it’s equally made for headphones. A reminder that pop-rock can still hit hard without sanding down its edges, and an impressive debut for the rising artist.
Sam Lowry