It is easy to fall into the trap with a track like Faraway. Its chorus is so immediate as to push producers into overproduction. Heavier drums, busier transitions and an instrument which tells the listener they are present at every turn. But the production behind SHON’s 2023 single knows when to step back.
Co-produced by Yackson0031 and SamblizBeatz, Faraway is a record built on distance: specifically SHON’s wish to keep out negativity, excessive competition and bad energy as he tries to build his life back up. The production gives that space to exist.
A rhythmic base which is full of bounce but not a club record. Percussion is controlled, melodies light, and there is enough space in the mix for SHON’s vocals to stand out. That balance is key when the hook comes in.
“Bad energy far away” is not a complex hook, nor does it need to be. Its power is in repetition. Yackson0031 and SamblizBeatz avoid overproduction that would muddy that repetition, which by the second go round makes the hook feel like the record’s main mood.
SHON’s verses are very direct. He talks of hard work, self belief, faith and the expected success. There is little abstract thought in the lyrics but the conversational quality works as the instrumental never asks him to change the way he performs. This is the production’s success.
Yackson0031 and SamblizBeatz craft around SHON instead of on top of him. The beat provides the thrust but leaves room for his phrasing, and the transitions are subtle which keeps the vocal at the fore.
There are spots where Faraway could have taken bigger risks. The arrangement stays in a fairly safe Afrobeats palette and a more distinctive melodic turn could have made the record even more unique. The production is good, just not always out there. But that may not be what this song needs.
At its core Faraway is about protecting one’s peace while still being sure of the path in life. An overly aggressive production would have ruined that. Yackson0031 and SamblizBeatz give us something buoyant, uncluttered and positive.
Production collaborations are hard to assess exactly because the best ones hide the line between what each person did. Here nothing sounds like two producers fighting for their idea to dominate the record. The arrangement is a whole. That cohesion is probably the production’s greatest achievement.
Faraway doesn’t do well because its beat is louder or more complicated then the records around it. It does well because the production got what the song needed. Sometimes the producer’s biggest job is to know what the artist doesn’t need.
