# Songcraft brief

## Genre / era
Cinematic synthwave / retro-pop (80s neon atmosphere, modern polish).

## Mood / energy
Bittersweet, luminous, late-night calm; emotional but restrained.

## POV / tense / who is “you”
First person, past-to-present reflection. “You” is the memory itself, not a person.

## Story situation + emotional turn
Realizing a specific memory is happening for the last time—without drama, just quiet clarity. The turn is accepting the fade and choosing to hold it gently.

## Structure target
Intro → Verse 1 → Pre-Chorus → Chorus → Verse 2 → Pre-Chorus → Chorus → Bridge → Final Chorus → Outro

## Sound palette (instruments + production)
Warm analog pads, soft arpeggiator, gated reverb snare, deep round bass, airy lead synth, subtle VHS noise.

## Vocal direction
Characteristic voice: intimate, slightly aged/velvet tenor with a faint rasp (close-mic), breathy on ends of lines; gentle falsetto lift in chorus; a few whispered asides.

## Must-have images / motifs
- streetlight reflections / rain on glass
- cassette / rewind / tape hiss
- a room getting quiet

## Must-avoid
- Don’t say the theme bluntly (“last time”, “goodbye forever”, “this is the end”). Let it be inferred.
- Avoid generic nostalgia clichés.