Musically, the sound of "Chase This Light" has been described as pop punk, pop rock and power pop, with influence from pop, moving away from the emo style of their earlier work. Adkins and Linton's guitar work earned comparisons to early 1980s rock acts, such as the Outfield and U2. In contrast to "Futures" darker sound, "Chase This Light" was more melodic and upbeat. The opening song "Big Casino" channeled "When You Were Young" by the Killers. Adkins referred to it as a "loser anthem" for people who burn-out and desire success. He got the title phrase from a short story by Richard Ford where two of the characters are talking and one of them says "He's big casino." The pop punk number "Let It Happen" is aided by additional vocals from Ross. Adkins wrote it as a "feigning strength as a defense"-type track. "Always Be" utilizes finger snaps and handclaps; its melody was compared to the Shins and Shout Out Louds. It discuses co-dependency, alongside exploited weaknesses.