“a year ago” is the latest single by Vietnamese-American producer, TONIE from Brooklyn, NY. They’ve collaborated with Korean-American singer-songwriter, Saenabi and Filipino-American rapper MTLano on this track to create a dynamic and heartfelt sound. Known for making emotional synth-pop, this is TONIE’a fourth single release since 2020, and their music style has gained them a considerable following of listeners that enjoy this type of music.
Featuring vocoder-like synths melodies, soothing vocals, lo-fi piano, a rap section, and a lot more, “a year ago” is at its core a mellow feel-good track that’s quite uplifting as well. TONIE begins the song with his verse, where they sing about how reminiscing about the past isn’t always the best approach, and how keeping an optimistic outlook is key to being happy – “I’m okay, I don’t need to go back in time / I’m okay, I’m alright, I’m leaving”. Muted guitars and simple beats accompany the chorus, along with a few synths that aid the chill mood of the track.
The colorful second verse begins with Saenabi’s poetic vocals. It’s nice how the keyboard follows the vocal melody in the verses along with a few filler elements and slightly processed harmonies. Though the track is in the realm of electro-pop, there aren’t any huge synths or hard-hitting drums, as is the custom of music of that genre nowadays; the simplicity of “a year ago” is what makes it special. Additionally, MTLano’s rap section fits in really well and sits nicely in the mix. His vocal delivery seems natural and seamless.
The production, which seems effortless, also features a bunch of filler leads on the guitar and keyboards, making the track all the more interesting and engaging for the listeners. This is the second time TONIE has collaborated with Saenabi on a track, and I must say, they both sound amazing together! It seems like “a year ago” would be the perfect song to listen to while driving into the sunset on a beautiful day when you have nothing to worry about!
Listen to the track on Spotify!
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Discovered via http://musosoup.com
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