A month ago, we got the first taste of Leonardo Kin Ponce‘s new material as Ponce, in the form of an EP titled El Muerto, released by Mexican netlabel NWLA. And now the Mexican artist uploaded a new song from his forthcoming first album, Viejo, to celebrate his 26th birthday. The song, “Mi Viejo,” elaborates on the dark theme previously introduced on “El Muerto,” but in a more palpable way, with the presence of the eerie piano and vocals intro. For almost a minute it feels like a less dense cousin of Coyoli, but right when the electronic bass line kicks in, we know this is something else.
A simple but hard-hitting beat, plus a recurring rippling synth sound, support the sad lyrics about the love/hate relationship between him and his viejo. As the song develops, the atmosphere intensifies, with haunting vocal harmonies swirling on the stereo channels, and the bass filter slowly opening right until the song abruptly falls into the simple four-notes piano outro. Ponce is giving us pop drama and intensity in under four minutes.