A journey with a parent can seem like an ordinary moment until you begin to think about how much it means. On “Are We Running Out Of Time?”, Sotto James explores that realisation through a song written with his father in mind, confronting the difficult truth that the people closest to us will not be around forever.
Released on 9 October 2026, the slow-building single centres on the relationship between father and son. Rather than being prompted by a particular loss or dramatic event, the song captures the gradual awareness that even the relationships we take for granted are shaped by time.
That feeling comes into focus through a simple scene: travelling together, watching trees pass by and wishing there were more time to share. James sings, “Counting trees as we pass them by / I will hold you closer to me / I just wish we had more time.” The moment is unremarkable on the surface, but its meaning changes when viewed through the knowledge that nothing stays the same forever.
The music follows a similarly gradual progression. Beginning with a restrained arrangement that leaves room for the vocals, the track builds around a steady, mid-tempo pulse before opening into a fuller band sound. The arrangement moves between surges of intensity and quieter passages, creating a sense of tension that never quite settles.
That uncertainty is central to the song. James wants to remain present with his father, yet cannot entirely escape thoughts about what lies ahead. The repeated question in the title offers no clear answer, reflecting the difficulty of accepting something that cannot be controlled.
Another lyric brings the connection between the two into sharper focus: “Every time I see your face / I am staring back at mine.” The observation links the fear of losing a parent with the recognition of shared identity, adding another layer to a song concerned with love, family and the passage of time.
In the final third, the arrangement retreats into a more fragile passage before the full band returns in a powerful crescendo. The shift brings the song to its most expansive point without suggesting that time itself can be overcome. Instead, the focus turns towards what can be done in the present: staying close, showing up and making the most of the moments still available.
“I will be there at your side” captures that commitment. It is not a promise to change the inevitable, but an expression of being there for someone while the opportunity remains.
As the song draws to a close, the arrangement gradually falls away into a lingering outro. There is no neat resolution, leaving the question at the heart of the track suspended as the music recedes.
With “Are We Running Out Of Time?”, Sotto James turns an everyday moment between father and son into a reflection on what it means to love someone while knowing that time together is finite. The song’s strength lies in that familiar tension: wanting to hold on to the present while knowing it cannot last.
I’d love to send Domenico Frascino + 1 along to review and shoot Detroit Love at Madam on Sunday 25th.
