Yes, it’s already late August (somehow?!), but the unofficial Song of the Summer has finally arrived at last. Whether it’s to be blaring out of whizzing convertibles and beach-perched boom boxes, or a first-dance accompaniment for decades of weddings to come, ‘Die With a Smile’ is one of those quintessential pop music creations that instantly attaches itself at the first play; exhilaratingly fresh yet gratifyingly recognizable at once.

And, rather than attempting further description prior to what I expect will be your first of many listens, I’ll simply re-post the paragraph penned by Lindsay Zoladz, the consistently eye- and ear-opening music critic for The New York Times, published today via her weekly new tracks feature The Playlist.

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars — two superstars who have been relatively quiet on the music front in recent years — team up for the first time on “Die With a Smile,” a romantic, lightly apocalyptic slow-dance that offers both the opportunity to belt to the rafters. Despite the music video’s George & Tammy cosplay, there’s not much of that ever-so-trendy twang to be heard on the actual track. Instead, “Die With a Smile” is a lush, soft-rock torch song accentuated by weightless, trebly guitar. “If the world was ending, I’d wanna be next to you,” they sing together on an anthemic chorus, striking the right balance between grit and polish — just two consummate professionals doing their thing.

Only two weeks ‘til Labor Day weekend. Listen fast.