Julie Paschke approaches songwriting with striking solitude and sincerity, and that quiet intimacy seeps into every second of “Flying Above.” Written, performed, and recorded primarily by Paschke herself at home before being refined with producer Dan Duszynski, the track comes as a private meditation accidentally drifting into public view. “Flying Above” floats gently into the listener’s mind and lingers there like a passing thought you cannot quite shake.
The song opens with softly strummed guitars that ripple calmly through the arrangement, immediately creating an atmosphere of stillness and reflection. Then Paschke’s delicate high voice enters, translucent and meditative, suspended between earth and sky. She sings with remarkable softness. “Don’t you see we are flying above?” she asks, and the phrase becomes the emotional axis of the entire song.
Inspired by an actual hot air balloon ride with a former lover, “Flying Above” transforms that experience into something far more philosophical. Paschke reflects on the strange contrast between the peace found high above the world and the emotional chaos waiting below once reality resumes. The balloon becomes a metaphor for rising above self-created suffering, delusion, and repetitive emotional cycles. What makes the song compelling is the bittersweet realization underneath it all, that moments of true peace and connection are rare, fleeting, and often impossible to sustain forever.
The production mirrors that emotional weight beautifully. Every guitar strum, vocal breath, and empty space contributes to the song’s hushed transcendence. Even the simplicity becomes part of its power.
“Flying Above” is subtle, atmospheric, and profound, sneaking up on you during lonely nights and leaving you staring out the window long after it ends.
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Review by: Naomi Joan