My Little Airport – 那陣時不知道 (I Didn’t Know At That Time)
Few bands can capture fleeting memories with such delicate precision as My Little Airport, and their 2021 single 那陣時不知道 (I Didn’t Know At That Time) is a perfect example of why they remain one of Hong Kong’s most quietly powerful indie acts. Clocking in at just under two and a half minutes, the track distills nostalgia into something both fragile and enduring, like a photograph discovered in an old drawer.
Musically, the arrangement is stripped-back but deeply affecting. It begins with little more than soft keyboard chords and the gentle lilt of Nicole Au’s voice, her delivery so understated it almost feels like a private confession. Subtle layers—light percussion, restrained guitar textures, and tender backing vocals—enter gradually, creating a sense of unfolding memory. Midway through, a wistful saxophone solo drifts into the mix, serving as both a pause and a revelation, a sonic embodiment of the melancholy that comes with hindsight. The production never overwhelms; instead, it allows the song’s intimacy to breathe.