Nothing is quite as seductive as pitch black. That moment when the lights go out and your eyes struggle to penetrate through the darkness may hit you with an instinctive terror or a calmed sense of peace. Either way, it is filled with unknowns. Chicago-bred multi-instramentalist Elijah Noll is keenly aware of all the possibilities of darkness (a quick look at his Twitter and the above image will attest to this), and his new single “Ride” deals specifically with implied activities and motions in places devoid of light.

Over an array of cascading, bubbling and siren-like synthesizers, Noll grapples with his own memories of a tryst with a lover who said she’d be a ride-or-die but might no longer be in the picture. It’s a very sexy song, but comes across much darker than your average pillow talk. Noll’s noticeably sweet voice provides the song’s only real source of light.

Noll’s take on the track, however, is much more uplifting than ours: “‘Ride’ is the first glimpse into the latest chapter of my creative journey. A dedication to those who have continuously supported me and helped me stay grounded through the ups and downs.” So maybe the person or people in question really did stick around in the darkness after all. Maybe it was just hard to see at first.

Image: Elijah Noll

Matt Grosinger is the music editor of Nerdist and is always on the lookout for songs to add to sensual, moody playlists. You can follow him on Twitter at @MattGrosinger.