We’ve all had a love that broke our hearts: the kind of breakup that leaves us eating nothing but mint chocolate chip ice cream by the pint in our pajamas, refusing to leave the safe covers of our bed, and listening to that one sad song on repeat.

That’s not what Alec Shaw’s “The Love That Got Away” is.

Instead, Shaw’s new single is more reminiscent of that breakup from your 20s that makes you smile — recognizing what a wonderful person you were with — but that you weren’t in the right place. It’s not full of hatred; it’s about what might have been. While the lyrics aren’t particularly awe-inspiring (“listen to my voice / calling out your name / you’re the love that got away”), they’re steady, and they give you space to just sink into the soft melody and backbeat.

The song opens with trumpet fanfare and overlapping melody lines, with a gradually escalating drum beat that comes to a peak and then scales back to allow Shaw’s soothing, soft vocals to come through. The addition of horns and bright chords give the track versatility, and the non-invasive lyrics let the little nuances of the horns shine through. It’s like if Andy Grammar and John Mayer had a song baby — a little bright, a little mellow.

“The Love That Got Away” is most likely not the peak of Shaw’s music career, but it would be a great addition to any coffee house, pop radio, or breakup playlist. The hints of Shaw’s potential are clear, and it makes for a solid track that could rival any breakup anthem.