Kyoto Protocol: Faded Lights
Credit: Press
Building off the momentum of comeback single “Nothing Lasts Forever”, Malaysia's Kyoto Protocol offers us a fresh resplendent ballad in the form of “Fading Lights”. Released on Malaysian indie label Breaking Music (also home to artists like Talitha and Alien Lipstick Fire), the band adds yet another winner to their already-stacked repertoire. This track might not be a “Universal Rhyme” or “Pahlawan”, but it hits in a different way.
Kicking off with a emotional refrain, the track steadily marches to a choice mid-tempo on its melancholic verses which forms a simple yet highly replayable song. Although it might take a second listen for the track to fully set in, the band’s expert songwriting from their years of experience really shines. The refrain's guitar lines and solos section border on being cheesy at moments, yet somehow end up being satisfyingly catchy overall. At the end of the song, the band dives into a pleasant vocal ensemble outro – a welcome addition that is few and far between for songs of this genre.
A mixture of the veteran band's maturity and youthful enthusiasm, “Faded Lights” is a worthy addition to their discography which is neither lost nor sticks out glaringly in their music rolodex.
Follow Kyoto Protocol on Instagram, and hear “Faded Lights” below: