Black & Blue (Miike Snow song)

Last updated

"Black & Blue"
Miike Snow - Black & Blue Cover.jpg
Single by Miike Snow
from the album Miike Snow
Released15 October 2009 (2009-10-15)
RecordedRobotberget (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre
Length3:41
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Miike Snow
Miike Snow singles chronology
"Animal"
(2009)		"Black & Blue"
(2009)		"Silvia"
(2010)

"Black & Blue" is a song performed by the Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow. It was released as the second single from the band's 2009 album, Miike Snow on 15 October 2009 by Columbia Records. The song was written by the band with Henrik Jonback and Juliet Richardson. Band members Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg of the production duo Bloodshy & Avant had conceptualized the chorus before forming the band with Andrew Wyatt in 2007, but saved the idea for the Miike Snow project rather than offering it to another artist. "Black & Blue" is a blue-eyed soul and electronica song that is sung in a breathy falsetto style with piano and synthesizer instrumentation.

Contents

Critics were generally positive towards "Black & Blue". The majority of them praised the piano elements and Wyatt's vocals. The single is among the band's most successful releases; it peaked at number 64 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 on the UK Dance Chart and the Flemish Ultratip chart. Vince Haycock directed its accompanying music video, in which the actor Jeff Stewart portrays a man who creates music with eccentric instruments in his apartment.

Background

"Black & Blue" was written by Miike Snow's three members, Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg and Andrew Wyatt, in collaboration with Henrik Jonback and Juliet Richardson. [1] Parts of the chorus were initially conceptualized by Karlsson and Winnberg, also known as Bloodshy & Avant, prior to forming the band in 2007. [2] [3] Karlsson told music website musicOMH, "It's the only song on the album that we had an idea before and we kind of saved [it], like we want this song for our own project. When we met Andrew [Wyatt] and we decided to start the band, it was only an idea, but we played it for Andrew and he really liked it." [2] It was recorded at Robotberget, the band's own studio in Stockholm, Sweden. [1] [4] The band produced the track and then mixed it with Anders Hvenare. [1] Columbia Records released "Black & Blue" as the album's second single on 15 October 2009 in Europe. [5] The digital release includes the original version and remixes by Caspa, Jaymo & Andy George, Netsky, Savage Skulls and Tiga. [6] In the United Kingdom, the iTunes Store version comes with the original track, remixes by Tiga and Caspa, and Mark Ronson's remix of the album's first single, "Animal". [7] A 12" vinyl was released in the United Kingdom on 19 October 2009, featuring the aforementioned "Black & Blue" remixes, excluding Netsky's. [8] [9]

Composition

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Black & Blue"
A 22-second sample of "Black & Blue", showcasing the piano instrumentation, synth backing and Wyatt's breathy vocals.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Black & Blue" is a blue-eyed soul and electronica piano piece. [10] [11] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, the song is written in the time signature of common time with a moderate beat rate of 135 beats per minute. It is written in the key of A♭ major and Wyatt's vocal range spans the notes of E♭4 to F5. It has an A♭–B♭m–Fm7–Gm chord progression and a verse-chorus structure. [12] Wyatt sings moody and melancholic lyrics in a "breathy" and "whispery" falsetto vocal style. [11] [13] [14] [15] The production features piano chords over "buzzing" synthesizers. [16] According to BBC Music critic Fraser McAlpine, it includes Coldplay-esque breakdown sections and a "ghosty, mournful piano playing doomy dark chords". [13] McAlpine compared the verses to "Music Sounds Better with You" (1998) by French house band Stardust, [13] and Ben Hogwood of musicOMH likened the "soulful approach" to gospel music and works by American duo Outkast. [17] Elliott Townsend of URB called it an "electro-pop throwback" to Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" (1970). [18]

Critical reception

"Black & Blue" received a positive response from music critics. John Bergstrom of PopMatters described it as "smooth, winning blue-eyed soul", [10] and Neil Ashman of Drowned in Sound commented that its breathy vocals, piano chords and synth backing made it a "successful blend of melancholy and dancefloor-ready rhythms". [16] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian deemed the falsetto vocals and synths "naggingly infectious", citing it as the band's strong point: "the trio may be faceless, but they write a good tune". [14] Sputnikmusic's staff reviewer Rudy Klapper felt that the "techno swirl" of the song "nail[s] the juxtaposition between Wyatt's moody lyrics and the irrepressible production". [11] Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music rated "Black & Blue" four stars out of five and recommended it for when "you just need something to lift the spirits a bit, without someone shouting something stupid in your ear". [13] He continued, "It basically wants to rub your shoulders at the end of a long hard day, and whisper something funny in your ear while your shoulders untie." [13] Natalie Kaye of Contactmusic.com said that although it begins melancholy, it "swells to become one of the noisiest points on Miike Snow". [19] Paul Mitchell of The Skinny felt that Wyatt channels Paddy McAloon's breathy vocal style on "Black & Blue", but without the "lyrical wit". [15] He rated the song three stars out of five and called it "decent", finding the remixes available on the release more interesting. [15] A more critical review came from Pitchfork 's Marc Hogan, who wrote that it "promisingly ... splits the difference between Prince and piano-pop, only to underwhelm as a whole". [20]

Chart performance

In the issue dated 17 October 2009 of the UK Singles Chart, "Black & Blue" debuted at number 95. [21] It fell off the following week, before re-entering the next at number 64, which became its peak. [21] The song spent three weeks on the chart. [22] In the issue dated 30 October 2009, the single entered the UK Dance Chart at number two, which became its peak. [23] It spent five weeks on the chart; its final appearance was on 28 November 2009 at number 19. [24] "Black & Blue" is the band's highest-peaking entry on both the UK Singles Chart and the UK Dance Chart. [21] [25] The song also peaked at number 58 on the Scottish Singles Chart. [26] In Belgium, it peaked at number ten on the Flemish Ultratip chart, where it spent five weeks in total. [27]

Music video

Vince Haycock directed the music video for "Black & Blue" on location in Hackney, London, in August 2009. [28] [29] The clip features The Bill actor Jeff Stewart as a bearded man. [30] The video begins with the man waking up in his apartment at noon. He conducts various experiments to create music, and finally finishes a robotic mannequin that plays the drums. This is interspersed with shots of Miike Snow band members driving a car with Wyatt singing in the backseat. Happy with his invention, the man then walks outside in his bathrobe, headphones and sunglasses past three frolicking teenagers, and hugs one of them. He continues to walk down the street where he finally meets the members of Miike Snow at a crosswalk. He removes his bathrobe, headphones and sunglasses, and walks away happily. The video premiered online in September 2009, [29] before being released to the iTunes Store on 9 October 2009. [31] Regarding the video, Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music remarked, "It's basically what Santa does on his days off." [13]

Formats and track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Miike Snow liner notes. [1]

Charts

Chart (2009–10)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [27] 10
Scotland (OCC) [26] 58
UK Dance (OCC) [23] 2
UK Singles (OCC) [22] 64

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
Europe [5] [32] [33] 15 October 2009 Digital download Columbia Records
United Kingdom [9] [34] 16 October 2009
19 October 2009 12" vinyl

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloodshy & Avant</span> Duo of songwriters and producers

Bloodshy & Avant are a Swedish songwriting and production duo consisting of Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg. They have worked with many prominent artists, including Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Ms. Dynamite, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Kelis, Girls' Generation, Christina Milian, Sky Ferreira, Hikaru Utada and BoA. In addition to their production work, Karlsson and Winnberg are also members of the synth-pop group Miike Snow, alongside lead vocalist Andrew Wyatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Wyatt</span> American musician, songwriter and record producer

Andrew Wyatt Blakemore is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Manhattan, New York, he began his career playing in New York bands such as The A.M. and Black Beetle. He gained wider notability as the frontman of the Swedish electronic pop band Miike Snow, which released its acclaimed debut album in 2009. Since that time, Wyatt has released two other albums with the band as well as his solo debut Descender on Downtown Records in 2013.

<i>Kevin Michael</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Kevin Michael

Kevin Michael is the debut album by American singer Kevin Michael, released by Atlantic Records on October 2, 2007 in the United States. Three singles were released from the album: "We All Want the Same Thing", "It Don't Make Any Difference to Me", and "Ain't Got You". Kevin Michael and his mother did a joint interview in the November issue of Sister 2 Sister magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miike Snow</span> Swedish indie pop band

Miike Snow is a Swedish indie pop band formed in 2007. The band consists of producing team Bloodshy & Avant and American singer Andrew Wyatt. The band is often represented by a silhouette image of a jackalope. In their career, the band has released three studio albums: Miike Snow (2009), Happy to You (2012), and iii (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal (Miike Snow song)</span> 2009 single by Miike Snow

"Animal" is a song performed by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow. It was released as the first single from the band's 2009 self-titled debut album on 17 February 2009 through Columbia and Downtown Records. Written by the band alongside Henrik Jonback, "Animal" is a pop song with instrumentation provided by horns and staccato synthesizers. Lead singer Andrew Wyatt has explained that it has an ambiguous meaning; its lyrics can be interpreted as dealing with matters such as addiction, basic instincts or dissatisfaction when one's needs are not met by society.

<i>Miike Snow</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Miike Snow

Miike Snow is the debut album by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow. It was released in the United States on 22 September 2009 by Downtown Records and in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2009 by Columbia Records, reaching number ninety-five on the UK Albums Chart. A deluxe edition was released on the iTunes Store in the US and Australia on 13 April 2010 and in Japan on 26 May 2010, including remixes of past tracks and "The Rabbit".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Karlsson (DJ)</span> Musical artist

Lars Christian Karlsson, also known by his stage name Bloodshy, is a Swedish record producer, DJ, and remixer known for his work with the musical groups Bloodshy and Avant, Miike Snow, Ingrid, and Galantis. He started his international music career as one half of the electro pop duo Bloodshy & Avant with Pontus Winnberg, producing and co-writing tracks for pop stars such as Madonna, BoA, Kylie Minogue, and Katy Perry. Bloodshy & Avant notably co-wrote and produced Britney Spears' single "Toxic", which earned them a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2005. While continuing to work with Bloodshy and Avant, Karlsson also became a member of the indie pop band Miike Snow around 2007. Miike Snow, the group's debut album, was released in 2009, and peaked at number 11 on the Top Electronic Albums chart in the United States. Miike Snow won the 2011 European Border Breakers Award, and their second album Happy to You reached No. 1 on the Belgian Heatseekers Albums Chart and 43 on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvia (song)</span> 2010 single by Miike Snow

"Silvia" is a song performed by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow. Written and produced by the band, it is a six-minute electronic piano ballad that features drum and synthesizer instrumentation and electro house beats. Lyrically, it speaks of longing and lead singer Andrew Wyatt's vocals are edited with Auto-Tune. "Silvia" served as the third and final single from the band's 2009 self-titled debut album. Columbia Records first digitally released it as a remix extended play (EP) on 22 January 2010. Band members Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg contributed their own remix to the release, using the alias Robotberget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paddling Out</span> 2012 single by Miike Snow

"Paddling Out" is a song by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow from their second studio album, Happy to You (2012). It was released as the album's lead single on 23 January 2012 through Columbia, Downtown and Universal Republic. Written and produced by the band, the song was recorded in a studio previously occupied by Swedish pop group ABBA, which influenced its sound. Band member Pontus Winnberg dubbed the track an homage to dance floor disco. Musically, "Paddling Out" is a piano-driven electropop and house song with disco, Italo house and acid jazz elements, backed by a four on the floor beat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wave (Miike Snow song)</span> 2012 single by Miike Snow

"The Wave" is a song performed by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow. It was released as the second single from the band's second studio album Happy to You (2012) on 14 May 2012, through Axtone, Columbia, Downtown and Universal Republic. The song was written and produced by the band. Musically, "The Wave" is an electropop song with marching band influences and autoharp, military drum and piano instrumentation. It features Swedish musician Gustav Ejstes on autoharp and the Swedish Army drum corps on military drums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miike Snow discography</span>

The discography of Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow consists of three studio albums, two extended plays (EPs), eleven singles, fifteen music videos, and ten remixes for other artists. Formed in Stockholm in 2007, the band consists of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg of production duo Bloodshy & Avant and American vocalist Andrew Wyatt. The band began by sharing tracks and remixes on the free music website RCRD LBL that proved successful in the music blogosphere. The act preserved its anonymity by using a silhouetted jackalope avatar before revealing itself as a three-man band. The band released the debut studio album Miike Snow (2009) through Downtown Records to favorable reviews from music critics. The album spawned three commercial singles, two of which—"Animal" and "Black & Blue"—had moderate impact on charts in Belgium and the United Kingdom in 2009. The debut single "Animal" subsequently received a gold certification in the United States.

"Speakerphone" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album X (2007). It was produced by Bloodshy & Avant duo Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, who co-wrote it with Henrik Jonback and Klas Åhlund. The song featured dance, electronic, and funk elements. It heavily used Auto-Tune and vocoder, which caused some critics to liken it to music by Britney Spears and Daft Punk. "Speakerphone" received mixed responses from critics. The song appeared on the Canadian Hot 100 and the Hot Canadian Digital Singles Billboard charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galantis</span> Swedish electronic music duo

Galantis is the Swedish electronic dance music project of record producer Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson. Formerly, it was a duo, alongside rising musician Style of Eye, until he decided to part ways with the project shortly after their sophomore album The Aviary in 2017. However, he made appearances in live performances and music videos as part of the project up until 2021.

<i>iii</i> (Miike Snow album) 2016 studio album by Miike Snow

iii is the third studio album by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow. It was released in the United States on 4 March 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genghis Khan (Miike Snow song)</span> 2015 single by Miike Snow

"Genghis Khan" is a song performed by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow from their third studio album, iii (2016). Written and produced by the band alongside Henrik Jonback, the song was conceived when lead singer Andrew Wyatt felt like a tyrant while in a long-distance relationship, comparing his cruelty to that of Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan. Wyatt did not want to commit to the relationship, while simultaneously not wanting her being involved with anybody else. Wyatt believed the public could relate to this irrational jealousy, recognizing it as a truth of human nature. Musically, "Genghis Khan" is an electropop song with funk and R&B influences and lyrics which see the protagonist likening his jealousy to the behavior of the Mongolian emperor.

Liv, stylized as liv, is a Swedish/American supergroup consisting of musicians Lykke Li, Andrew Wyatt and Pontus Winnberg of Miike Snow, Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John, and Jeff Bhasker formed in 2016. Liv is the Swedish word for "life". Lykke Li described the band as "the love child of ABBA and Fleetwood Mac." All band members are part of the Swedish artist collective Ingrid, which they spearheaded in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Trigger</span> Song performed by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow from their third studio album

"My Trigger" is a song performed by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow from their third studio album, iii (2016). Written and produced by the band, the song contains elements from J Dilla's "The Diff'rence" (2006), which samples "Fruitman" (1974) by Kool & the Gang. The writers of both compositions obtained writing credit. "My Trigger" is an electropop and indie pop song, the lyrics of which speak of spending a weekend with a stripper. Lead singer Andrew Wyatt also revealed that it comments on the sex industry in the United States. The song was released on 9 September 2016, through Jackalope and Atlantic as the third single from iii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart Is Full</span> 2015 single by Miike Snow

"Heart Is Full" is a song recorded by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow for their third studio album, iii (2016). Written by the band alongside Vincent Pontare, the song contains elements from Marlena Shaw's 1967 recording of "Waiting for Charlie to Come Home", penned by Bob Hilliard and Burt Bacharach. "Heart Is Full" is an electropop and hip hop song with instrumentation provided by drums, horn and Wurlitzer electric piano. Described by the band as different from their other work, the song was selected as the album's lead single as vocalist Andrew Wyatt deemed it a "jarring reintroduction" following the band's three-year break. The single was released on 30 October 2015 through Jackalope and Atlantic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bones (Galantis song)</span> 2019 single by Galantis featuring OneRepublic

"Bones" is a song by Swedish electronic music duo Galantis featuring vocals from American pop rock band OneRepublic, released on 31 January 2019 via Atlantic Recording in the United States and WEA International elsewhere around the globe. It was written by Bloodshy, Ryan Tedder, David Brook, Brett McLaughlin, Danny Majic, DJ Frank E, and Andy Grammer with production handled by Galantis, Bloodshy, Ryan Tedder, Danny Majic and DJ Frank E.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Heart of Me (song)</span> 2016 song by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow

"The Heart of Me" is a song by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow from their third studio album, iii (2016). Written and produced by the band, the song was initially issued as a buzz single on 19 February 2016, in anticipation of the album's release. Subsequently, Atlantic Records sent it to alternative radio in the United States on 15 November 2016, as the fourth and final single off the album. Musically, "The Heart of Me" is a synth-laden chillwave song with indie rock elements and emotional lyrics. It features background vocals by English singer Charli XCX.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Miike Snow (Media notes). Miike Snow. Downtown. 2009. DWT70085.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. 1 2 O'Driscoll, Ceiri (October 2009). "Interview: Miike Snow". musicOMH. OMH Media. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  3. ↑ Birchmeier, Jason. "Miike Snow – Biography". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  4. ↑ McKnight, Ren (28 March 2012). "10 Essentials: Miike Snow". GQ . Condé Nast Publications . Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Black & Blue av Miike Snow" (in Swedish). iTunes Store (Sweden). Apple. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Black & Blue (2009)". 7digital (United Kingdom). Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Black & Blue – EP by Miike Snow". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). Apple. 16 October 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  8. 1 2 Black & Blue (12"). Miike Snow. United Kingdom: Columbia. 2009. LC00162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. 1 2 "Black & Blue [12" vinyl]". Amazon. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  10. 1 2 Bergstrom, John (11 June 2009). "Miike Snow: Miike Snow". PopMatters. Sarah Zupko. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 Klapper, Rudy (21 June 2009). "Miike Snow – Miike Snow". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  12. ↑ "Miike Snow, 'Black & Blue' – Composition Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group .
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McAlpine, Fraser (18 October 2009). "Miike Snow – 'Black & Blue'". BBC Music . Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  14. 1 2 Sullivan, Caroline (22 October 2009). "Miike Snow: Black & Blue". The Guardian . Guardian News and Media . Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Paul (6 October 2009). "Miike Snow – Black and Blue". The Skinny . Radge Media. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  16. 1 2 Ashman, Neil (12 October 2009). "Miike Snow – Miike Snow". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  17. ↑ Hogwood, Ben. "Miike Snow – Miike Snow". musicOMH . Archived from the original on 20 October 2009.
  18. ↑ Townsend, Elliott (11 June 2009). "Miike Snow :: Miike Snow". URB . NativeSon Media. Archived from the original on 22 June 2009.
  19. ↑ Kaye, Natalie. "Miike Snow – Miike Snow Album Review". Contactmusic.com . Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  20. ↑ Hogan, Marc (11 June 2009). "Miike Snow: Miike Snow". Pitchfork . Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  21. 1 2 3 "The Official Charts Company - Black & Blue by Miike Snow Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.
  22. 1 2 "Miike Snow: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  23. 1 2 "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  24. ↑ "Top 40 Dance Singles Archive – 28th November 2009". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  25. ↑ Peak chart positions for singles on the UK Dance Chart:
  26. 1 2 "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  27. 1 2 "Miike Snow – Black & Blue" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  28. ↑ Gottlieb, Steven (24 August 2009). "SHOT: Miike Snow – Vincent Haycock, director". Video Static. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  29. 1 2 "Miike Snow's Black & Blue by Vince Haycock". Promo News. 24 September 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  30. ↑ "Ex-Bill star Stewart says winning award 'extraordinary'". BBC News. BBC. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "Black & Blue by Miike Snow". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). Apple. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  32. ↑ "Black & Blue by Miike Snow". iTunes Store (Belgium). Apple. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  33. ↑ "Black & Blue von Miike Snow" (in German). iTunes Store (Germany). Apple. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  34. ↑ "Black & Blue: Miike Snow". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.