In “Promise,” Manu Dia goes beyond flexing the emotive capabilities of electronica as a genre and builds a romantic narrative of comfort and commitment. This song beautifully captures a point in time without losing the feelings and memories wrapped up in it.
Now I would be remiss not to compare this song to The Postal Service. Tonally it feels like the younger cousin of Give Up, which replaces lyrics with a more nuanced and layered production. And while nowadays I find the tracks of Give Up too repetitive, “Promise” does not suffer the same fault. In stark contrast, “Promise” progresses at a fast pace and keeps my attention. The little details do a lot of heavy lifting.
The primary synth melody wakes the listener from the somnolent, lonely daze of the opening and plants itself in focus. As embellishments and layers build up, that foundation drifts off and static beats leap to the fore. As distorted vocals take over, the notes begin to extend and stretch building towards a climax when the primary melody returns more jubilant and energized by a faster tempo. The song closes with the melody slowing to a comfortable rest, now warm and hopeful.
This song is such a lovely listen, I highly recommend you pick it up. And if this is any indication of the future, I’m excited for Manu Dia’s upcoming full-length project.
Follow Manu Dia on Spotify.
Saint Audio 