Producer // Music Arrangement // Mixing Engineer
In 1983, a group of young ASEAN scholars living together and studied at National Junior College and Hwa Chong Junior College, found their voices in a song. Composed by Lai Kok Fung with lyrics by Lian Siew Chin and Kenny Sin, Home Away from Home captured the raw spirit, the shared dreams, and the deep bonds of teenagers navigating a new country together. More than four decades later, I had the honor of stepping into the studio as the music producer, arranger, and mixing engineer to bring this piece of history back to life.
My biggest challenge with this project was a delicate balancing act: how do we honor the deep nostalgia of a 40-year-old memory while delivering the delicacy of modern production?
The answer began with a cross-continental collaboration. I collaborated with a guitarist from Venezuela whose acoustic guitar work laid down the foundation of the entire track. His performance was nothing short of amazing, capturing an warmth that gave the song its heart.
Building upon that acoustic foundation, my role as a producer became more clear. The original melody possesses a distinct folk element, and it was vital to keep that authenticity intact. Instead of overwhelming it, I layered in some strings and various kinds of percussions to the the second half of the song, to keep the arrangement more fresh and alive.
This was my first time visiting a video shoot for a music that I dedicated, it’s such a surreal feeling to witness the process of my audio-work being interpreted in a visual way!
– Music Production –
Melody: Lai Kok Fung
Lyrics: Lian Siew Chin, Kenny Sin
Vocalists: Koh Chu Guan, Lau Geok Moon, Lai Kok Fung
Producer: Yuki Loh
Vocal Producer: Dean Tiu
Music Arrangement: Yuki Loh @ PlainW Studio
Guitars: Ender Mollogon
Recording Engineer: Dean Tiu
Assistant Recording Engineer: Min @ GoldStone Music
Recording Studio: Ocean Recording Studio
Mixing Engineer: Yuki Loh @ PlainW Studio
Mastering Engineer: Hazeeq Azhar @ Ruang Mekar Production
Related Services: Music Arrangement, Recording, Vocal Editing, Vocal Production, Mixing, Mastering