Each of us has whispered these words to ourselves at least once while returning from an exhausting day at work or a hard workout: “Almost home.” This is exactly what the artist Koirah chose to name his new release. Emotionally, this track is built in such a way that it truly sounds like those very last hundred meters to your doorstep, when you’re no longer in a hurry, but instead—you slow down, savoring the anticipation of rest.
Sound Architecture
The composition begins with the sounds of a train station or subway. This is both the starting point of the track and a true reference point for the distance left to travel to finally find yourself in your own room. It’s a very successful move—a sound familiar to everyone regardless of age, which instantly sets the right mood. In it, the cool notes of the electric piano gradually dissolve, like evening dew. This is a true “must-have” for lo-fi compositions, especially against the backdrop of a warm, soulful guitar, whose chords are associated with a soft evening sunset. These two instruments have always blended well to create a comfortable “temperature” for the composition.
In the epicenter of the work, we hear a recording of another stop. The sunbeams flickering through the buildings outside the train window are becoming increasingly red. The sun is already nearly in the horizon’s embrace, and the guitar chords are becoming thinner and more resonant. We are halfway home.
In a moment, the final stop arrives—the track’s ending—where only the cool notes of the aforementioned e-piano remain, along with that cool dew that has already settled on the green grass near your house.
Why Listen?
In this little musical journey, there is a hidden wealth of beauty that we often let pass us by due to fatigue. But it is precisely these symbolic moments on the path that separate us from the peace that can only be felt on the way home. Sometimes, when the sun finally reaches you through the window of a minibus or commuter train, you realize for a moment how good it is when there is somewhere to return to. You want to stretch this realization as long as possible, and Koirah’s track does so masterfully even without real sunbeams.
P.S. If you enjoy a cinematic approach to lo-fi, be sure to check out our review of Steve Nguyen’s latest work.
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