Composer and pianist Julia Thomsen is back with “Golden Hour”.

This is a piano piece that gets what a lot of us need right about now. As the year winds down and everything seems to speed up, as the days get shorter and the to do lists get longer, “Golden Hour” gives you permission to stop for a minute.

There’s a warmth to Julia’s playing that feels almost tangible. It settles in and stays with you. Not in a demanding way, just there when you need it.

“This is music for the in between moments,” Julia says. “When you need to step away from the noise and just breathe.”

She’s not wrong. The piece moves at its own speed, never pushing you anywhere. It doesn’t try to manipulate how you feel or force some big emotional moment. It’s just there, like a quiet corner you can retreat to when things get overwhelming.

I found myself putting it on during those late afternoon hours when the light starts to change and everything feels a bit heavier. It worked just as well on a Sunday morning with coffee. That’s the thing about “Golden Hour,” it adapts to whatever you bring to it. Background music for a quiet night in, or something to help you decompress after a day that took more out of you than expected.

During a season that pulls us in every direction and expects us to show up for everything, Thomsen made something that doesn’t ask for anything back. You just press play and let it do its thing.

You can listen here.