| Blue Film | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | February 24, 2014 |
| Recorded |
|
| Genre | Indie pop |
| Length | 42:12 |
| Label | 4AD |
| Producer | Francois Tetaz |
| Singles from Blue Film | |
| |
Blue Film is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Lo-Fang. Released in 2014 by 4AD, it began as a mix tape that was turned into a full length album with additional material.
In 2011, Lo-Fang's friend Steve Adams, a director of photography for National Geographic Channel, gave him a free ticket and invited him along on a work trip to Cambodia where Lo-Fang wrote the song "#88". [2] From There, he had traveled to Tokyo, Bali, London, and across America. Lo-Fang, real name Matthew Hemerlein, reveals that a lot of those places and the people he has met has not only influenced his lyrics, but the instruments as well. Lo-Fang can play the violin, cello, bass, guitar, and piano. All of these instruments were incorporated into the album.
It took three years for Lo-Fang to complete the mixtape-turned-album. After dropping out of college, Hemerlein focused on his music and small performances. Although he did not catch the attention of any record studios at first, his lyrics landed him a publishing deal. [3] Later on, in 2013, Lo-Fang was signed to British record label 4AD.
Blue Film gives an insight look into negative relationships and although slightly personal for him, Lo-Fang is able to keep it general enough for his fans and other listeners to be able to relate to it. [4]
I think a lot of my views of Cambodia came through in some of the songs that are a little bit more soulful. Something like Permutations or Look Away or #88 ... I think they have a connection to Cambodia. Even the melody does a bit. I think you hear a bit of that in the melody of the #88, for sure. But initially all the lyrics were written in Angkor Wat or in Siem Reap in Cambodia.
— Lo-Fang, Curious Animal [2]
Lo-Fang reveals that the meaning of the title is a mix between sadness and coolness. He believes that his music has a cinematic quality to it and the title Blue Film embodies that. He also throws in that there is a bit of play on words when mentioning an adult film, Blue Movie by Andy Warhol.
Although classified as indie pop, Blue Film possesses elements of R&B, classical, synthesizers, and electro pop. As a musician talented in playing many instruments and an appreciation for all types of styles, Lo-Fang added as many elements as he could during recording and post-production in order to showcase what he was capable of.
Blue Film is a very intimate album, but very raunchy as well. In many of his songs, the music is very smooth sounding, but with his ominous and soft voice, combined with the lyrics itself, it is very misleading as to what he is talking about. This record could indisputably be considered one to be all about sex but in a very abstract sense.
Every song on the album has a different feel to it—From more mainstream sounds coming from "Animal Urges" and "Look Away", luyring and menacing tones in "Confusing Happiness", and chilling and subdued covers of female duo BOY's "Boris" and "You're the One That I Want" from the musical Grease (musical).
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 64/100 [5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| NME |   [7] |
| Pitchfork Media | 5.1/10 [8] |
| PopMatters | [9] |
Lo-Fang got his big break when he was asked to be the opening act on a singer from New Zealand, Lorde’s tour in 2013. His single "#88" was one of her favorite songs and once they met up in a L.A. studio, they immediately kicked it off and thus began the start to his name getting out more in the music industry. [13]
Lo-Fang's cover of "You're the One That I Want" was created for the Chanel No. 5 commercial with supermodel Gisele Bündchen.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Look Away" | 5:00 |
| 2. | "Boris" (Boy cover) | 3:38 |
| 3. | "When We're Fire" | 3:48 |
| 4. | "Light Year" | 3:59 |
| 5. | "Blue Film" | 3:04 |
| 6. | "Interlude" | 0:30 |
| 7. | "#88" | 6:48 |
| 8. | "Intro" | 0:25 |
| 9. | "Animal Urges" | 5:01 |
| 10. | "Confusing Happiness" | 3:04 |
| 11. | "You're the One That I Want" (cover) | 3:24 |
| 12. | "Permutations" | 3:31 |
| Chart (2014) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [14] | 125 | |
| US Top Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [15] | 17 | |
Emergency & I is the third album by American indie rock band The Dismemberment Plan, released in 1999 by DeSoto Records. It was produced by J. Robbins and Chad Clark. At its release, the album was met with critical acclaim.
Ruby Blue is the debut solo studio album by Irish singer Róisín Murphy. It was released on 13 June 2005 by Echo. After she and Mark Brydon dissolved their electronic music duo Moloko, Murphy began working with producer and musician Matthew Herbert. The songs were first released through three extended plays and were then compiled into a studio album.
Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, known professionally as Lorde, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and introspective songwriting. Her music is primarily electropop with elements of dream pop and indie-electro.
Blue Lips is the third studio album by Swedish singer Tove Lo. It was released on 17 November 2017 by Island Records. Blue Lips is considered the second half of a two-piece concept album that describe "highs, lows and ultimate demise of a relationship." Its chapters "Light Beams" and "Pitch Black" succeed the chapters "Fairy Dust" and "Fire Fade" from her previous album Lady Wood (2016).
Destroyer is a Canadian indie rock band from Vancouver, formed in 1995. The band is fronted by founding member Dan Bejar, with a collective of regular band members and collaborators joining him in the studio and during live performances. Alongside Bejar, Destroyer currently includes longtime producers John Collins (bass) and David Carswell (guitar), Nicolas Bragg, Ted Bois (keyboards), JP Carter (trumpet) and Joshua Wells (drums).
Joel Little is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter. He is best known for his work as a writer and producer with artists Lorde, Taylor Swift, Broods, Sam Smith, Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, Khalid, Elliphant, Jarryd James, Shawn Mendes, Marina Diamandis, Amy Shark, Goodnight Nurse, Olivia Rodrigo, Years & Years, and the Jonas Brothers.
"Royals" is the debut single by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, included in her debut extended play (EP) The Love Club EP (2012) and debut studio album Pure Heroine (2013). Lorde wrote the song with producer Joel Little. "Royals" is a minimalist art pop and electropop song with influences of hip hop, R&B, and indie pop. The track's lyrics express disapproval with the sumptuous lifestyle presented in songs and music videos by pop and hip hop-influenced artists.
"Tennis Court" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. She co-wrote the song with Joel Little, with production handled by the latter. Universal Music Group (UMG) released the song as the second single from her debut studio album Pure Heroine (2013) in Australia and New Zealand on 7 June 2013. On the same day, the label released an extended play (EP) of the same name containing three additional tracks throughout Europe. It combines alternative pop, art pop, and downtempo music over hip hop beats, minimalist synthesisers, and an electronic pulse. Inspired by Lorde's fresh insights into the music industry, the lyrics address her newfound fame and nostalgia for her hometown.
Pure Heroine is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with songwriters, Lorde was paired with Joel Little by A&R representative Scott Maclachlan, who assisted with the album's production. Recording took place at Golden Age Studios in Auckland. Pure Heroine has been described as a dream pop, electronica and electropop album with minimalist production, deep bass and programmed beats.
"Glory and Gore" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde from her debut studio album, Pure Heroine (2013). The song was released on 11 March 2014 as the album's fourth and final single by Lava Records and Republic Records. The track was written by Lorde and its producer, Joel Little. "Glory and Gore" is an electropop song influenced by chillwave and hip hop music. It speaks about modern society's fascination with violence and celebrity culture, comparing these to gladiators.
"Swingin Party" is a song written by Paul Westerberg and recorded by his band The Replacements for their fourth studio album Tim (1985). The song is an indie rock and rock and roll ballad with influences from jazz, country and new wave. Lyrically, it portrays the protagonist's "feigned nonchalance". It was well received by music critics, who praised Westerberg's songwriting talent. The song has been covered by other artists, notably Kindness in 2009 and Lorde in 2013.
Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson, known professionally as Tove Lo, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and actress who has been called "Sweden's darkest pop export" by Rolling Stone. She is known for her raw, grunge-influenced take on pop music. Her honest, complex and autobiographical lyrical content has led to her being dubbed "the saddest girl in Sweden".
Matthew Jordan Hemerlein, better known by the stage name Lo-Fang, is a singer-songwriter and classically trained musician. His stage name came to him while he was driving through Sedona, Arizona on his way to Los Angeles. He chose it mainly because of the symmetry of the letters and his attempt to balance the feminine and masculine elements in his music. As he sees it: " 'Lo' relates 'soft and soothing' and the strings and kind of the way I sing, and the 'Fang' element is more like the harsh, electronic sounds and the bass."
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 is the soundtrack album to the 2014 dystopian science fiction film of the same name, curated by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. The film is an adaptation of the 2010 novel by Suzanne Collins and is the third installment in The Hunger Games film series. The soundtrack has been described by music critics as an electropop record with elements of hip hop, synth pop and the use of electronic beats throughout the album. The melodic style of the songs is a deviation from the guitar-driven sound of the previous series' soundtracks.
Melodrama is the second studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 16 June 2017 by Lava and Republic Records and distributed through Universal. Following the breakthrough success of her debut album Pure Heroine (2013), Lorde retreated from the spotlight, and travelled between New Zealand and the United States. Initially inspired by her disillusionment with fame, she wrote Melodrama to capture heartbreak and solitude after her first breakup.
"Sober" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, from her second studio album Melodrama (2017). Lorde co-wrote and co-produced the song with Jack Antonoff, with production assistance from Malay and vocal production from Kuk Harrell. It was released on 9 June 2017, by Republic as the album's second promotional single. "Sober" is the first of a two-track song, which is completed by "Sober II (Melodrama)". It is an electronic R&B song that features a tiger's roar, trumpets, brass and tenor and baritone saxophones in its production. The lyrics detail the desire to tell someone how you feel about them while wondering how it will be once the liquor wears down.
"Hard Feelings/Loveless" is a medley song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde for her second album, Melodrama (2017). She wrote and co-produced the track with Jack Antonoff, with additional production from Frank Dukes. It draws influences from genres such as industrial music and noise music, and uses a distorted synthesizer. "Loveless" includes two samples: a voice sample taken from a documentary about Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland, and a drum solo from Phil Collins' 1981 song "In the Air Tonight". The lyrics detail the emotions of falling out of love while mocking the current generation's lengths to pretend to be unaffected by love.
The Pure Heroine Tour was the inaugural concert tour by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, in support of her debut studio album, Pure Heroine (2013). Her first performance was at the Splendour in the Grass music festival as a last-minute replacement for Frank Ocean. Before the tour, Lorde performed at small nightclubs and bars around New Zealand and Australia. North American shows were announced in August 2013, followed by a series of dates in Oceania. Dates in Europe and South America soon followed.
Solar Power is the third studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 20 August 2021, by Universal Music New Zealand. Lorde wrote and produced the album with American musician Jack Antonoff, whom she also worked with on her second studio album, Melodrama (2017).
