Breakin' Point (song)

Last updated

"Breakin' Point"
Peter Bjorn and John - Breakin Point Cover.jpg
Single by Peter Bjorn and John
from the album Breakin' Point
B-side "Bad Taste"
Released25 March 2016 (2016-03-25)
Studio Ingrid Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre Pop
Length3:29
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Peter Bjorn and John singles chronology
"What You Talking About?"
(2016)		"Breakin' Point"
(2016)		"Dominos"
(2016)

"Breakin' Point" is a song by Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John from their seventh studio album Breakin' Point (2016). It was released on 25 March 2016 through PBJ Musik and Ingrid as the album's second single. Written by the band and produced by Emile Haynie, "Breakin' Point" is a midtempo pop song with lyrics alluding to the protagonist's concerns about expecting a child. It features a whistling intro, which the band were initially hesitant to include as their breakthrough single "Young Folks" (2006) had a similar composition. They eventually decided "Breakin' Point" would represent a fitting tribute as it was conceived near the ten-year anniversary of "Young Folks".

Contents

Music critics were generally positive towards "Breakin' Point" and noted its catchiness. Commercially, the single only appeared below the top 50 of the Wallonian Ultratip chart. A remix by Swedish band Miike Snow was also released. The song's accompanying music video was shot in Poland on several locations, including Wolin National Park. It was directed by Danish-Norwegian duo HochR, who took inspiration from the rivers of Hades in the underworld from Greek mythology, particularly the river Styx.

Background and production

"Breakin' Point" was written by Peter Bjorn and John's three members, Peter Morén, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson as the title track for their seventh studio album Breakin' Point (2016). [1] The band began writing the album four years prior, following a year-long break after touring for their previous album Gimme Some (2011). [2] Initial sessions with Patrik Berger aimed to create a "classic" and guitar-focused sound, but the band soon changed their approach to make "the best possible pop songs". [2] Yttling felt an "Emile Haynie beat" would fit the song and reached out to the producer, who was visiting Stockholm at the time and agreed to work with them. [3] Haynie produced "Breakin' Point" and provided additional instrumentation, along with synthesizer. The band handled additional production and played the core instruments of the track. Yttling and Eriksson also provided programming in addition to playing live instruments. Lasse Mårtén mixed "Breakin' Point" and Henrik Jonsson mastered the recording at Masters of Audio in Stockholm. [1]

The integration of whistling on the track was initially unintentional. [2] Morén whistled the tune while recording the song at Ingrid Studios in Stockholm, and the recording ended up being kept for the final version. [1] [4] Morén explained they were originally reluctant to include the whistles as they felt it might be viewed as "so obvious" considering their breakthrough single "Young Folks" from Writer's Block (2006) was heavily built upon whistling. [4] As "Breakin' Point" was conceived near the ten-year anniversary of Writer's Block, Morén described the whistling aspects as a "nice tribute" to "Young Folks". [4] The band preferred a tribute record over issuing a "big deluxe" re-release of Writer's Block or an anniversary tour. [2] An "early version" of the song, sans the whistles and solely produced by the band, is included on the deluxe edition of the album. [1] [5]

Composition and lyrics

Peter Moren explained that "Breakin' Point" was inspired by his concerns about expecting a child. Peter Bjorn and John immergut 02 crop.jpg
Peter Morén explained that "Breakin' Point" was inspired by his concerns about expecting a child.

"Breakin' Point" is a midtempo pop song. [6] [7] It features instrumentation provided by drums, an electric bass, a guitar, percussion, a piano, a synthesizer, and a zither. [1] [6] The song begins with siren-like whistles and a high-pitched piano. [8] [9] Rose Kerr of Spectrum Culture observed the song's "darker" beat in contrast to its whimsy provided by whistles and a "backing youth chorus". [10] Gregory Adams of Exclaim! interpreted the whistling melody as "slightly sorrowful", [7] and Bill Pearis of BrooklynVegan called the record a "melancholic anthem". [11] Adams suggested the lyrics speak of "pondering life on the couch", manifested in the line "What to do, what to say" sung in the verse. [7] Clash 's Will Butler viewed the lyric "Got it from whisky like any loser can" as Morén "tacitly" evoking a "part-Hunter S. Thompson, part-Brian Wilson persona". [12]

Regarding its lyrical theme, Morén told Stereogum it has several meanings, "It's about waiting for new things coming ahead that will leave the past in the dust or at least make it look very different. About mental and physical adjustment. About kids becoming parents and maybe about growing up. About perspective, balance and seeing things for what they might actually be and not blown up to grotesque proportions." [6] While the album's title refers to a breaking point where the band felt they might not finish the album and break up instead, Morén explained to Esquire that the breaking point in the title track alludes to becoming a parent. [13] He said, "You feel directionless, you're burned out on life, and wondering what this kid will do to me—fuck me up more or enlighten me?" [13] Regarding the lyrical connection between the song and "Young Folks", he called its story of expecting a child a "quite deliberate perspective from meeting a new lover at a bar, which is what 'Young Folks' was about". [4]

Release and reception

"Breakin' Point" was selected as the second single after "What You Talking About?" to precede the album's release on 10 June 2016. [14] The song premiered on 24 March 2016 on Zane Lowe's radio show on Apple Music's station Beats 1, [3] and had its online premiere on Stereogum the same day. [6] In conjunction with its release, Morén stated that it "features great production from Emile Haynie and ... we're very proud of it!" [6] Jonas Torvestig designed the single artwork depicting a disembodied white-glove hand. [4] The band previously worked with the artist for the artwork of Gimme Some. [4] "Breakin' Point" was made available for digital download and streaming on 25 March 2016 through PBJ Musik and Ingrid. [15] A remix produced by Swedish band Miike Snow was released on 22 April 2016. [16] Both bands utilize Ingrid Studios in Stockholm, and Yttling told Consequence of Sound that "it was exciting to hear [Miike Snow's] take on our song". [16] Their label, Ingrid, issued a 7-inch vinyl on 13 May 2016, containing "Breakin' Point" and the previously unreleased B-side "Bad Taste". [17] Morén revealed the same month that the B-side would be digitally released in the future. [18] It was eventually included on the deluxe edition of Breakin' Point, released on 3 March 2017. [5]

"Breakin' Point" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound hailed it as a "lovely number uplifted by a harmonious mix of sweet whistling, reverberating drums, and a swelling chorus". [14] Drowned in Sound 's Kellan Miller wrote that the song "manages to distinguish itself as its own unique, borderline magnetic offspring", despite exhibiting similar "contagious" whistling as "Young Folks". [19] Colin Fitsgerald of PopMatters viewed it as "sparse but catchy". [20] Similarly, Ian Hays, writing for The 405 , noted its catchiness and deemed it a standout on the album. [21] In a negative review, Tim Sendra of AllMusic felt the whistling is a "sad reminder" of "Young Folks", and regarded it a low point on the album. [22] Commercially, "Breakin' Point" did not enter any charts, but appeared below the top 50 of the Wallonian Ultratip chart as an "extra tip" on the week of 11 June 2016. The song remained there for four weeks. [23]

Music video

The Christ the King statue in Swiebodzin appears in the video. Pomnik Chrystusa w Swiebodzinie.jpg
The Christ the King statue in Świebodzin appears in the video.

Danish-Norwegian duo HochR (Howlid and Rosenbak) directed the accompanying music video for "Breakin' Point". [24] [25] The directors created a treatment based on the rivers that surround Hades in the underworld in Greek mythology, particularly the river Styx. [26] HochR wanted to capture a modern take on Hades and avoided a "typical dark, burning underworld", instead opting for a "seemingly fairytale forest" and "sunny sand dunes". [27] The video was shot on location in Poland over three days. [27] The desert scenes were shot in Wolin National Park and additional scenes nearby a river outside of Warsaw. [27] The Christ the King statue in Świebodzin, Poland appears in the video. [27] The visual premiered on 14 June 2016 on Noisey . [25]

The video commences as the protagonist wakes up in the backseat of a car. He exits and the car drives off. He meets a ferryman by the river of Styx and boards a ferry, taking him to a forest where he is accompanied by his "inner fable animal", [27] a creature with long fur resembling yarn strings on a mop. [28] He then meets two other men by a Jesus statue. While the protagonist is sleeping in the forest, the creature begins to drag him out of the forest and into a desert. The man wakes up while being dragged through the desert, and the creature lets him go when after he hits it with sticks. The man climbs a hill where he meets the creature again. He stands by it while overlooking the desert landscape, where other humans roam accompanied by their fable animals. Tom Breihan, writing for Stereogum, named the visual the fifth best music video of the week of its release, asserting "The final reveal here is a good one, and it makes me wish I had my own mop creature." [28]

Formats and track listing

  1. "Breakin' Point" – 3:29
  2. "Bad Taste" – 2:52
  1. "Breakin' Point" – 3:29
  1. "Breakin' Point" (Miike Snow remix) – 4:00

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Breakin' Point. [1]

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelRef.
Various countries25 March 2016 Digital download [15]
22 April 2016Digital download
(Miike Snow remix)		 [29]
13 May 2016 7-inch [17]

Related Research Articles

Peter Bjorn and John Swedish Indie pop band

Peter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie pop/rock band, formed in Stockholm in 1999 and named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson, known in his solo work as Hortlax Cobra. Yttling also worked as producer for the band's first four albums.

<i>Writers Block</i> (Peter Bjorn and John album) 2006 studio album by Peter Bjorn and John

Writer's Block is the third album by Peter Bjorn and John. It was released on 14 August 2006. Taking a departure from the production of their first two albums, Writer's Block is an experimental, semi-concept album based around themes of the highs and lows of romance.

Young Folks 2006 single by Peter Bjorn and John

"Young Folks" is the first single from Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John's third album, Writer's Block. The single features Victoria Bergsman as a guest vocalist. The song received generally positive reviews from critics and performed well in the record charts, reaching the top 40 in Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. A music video made for the song features animated versions of Peter and Bergsman performing the song in various locations.

Peter Morén Swedish musician (born 1976)

Peter Andreas Morén is a Swedish musician. He is the guitarist and vocalist of the indie rock trio Peter Bjorn and John. He is also a founding member of the Stockholm-based artist collective INGRID.

Björn Yttling Swedish musician and producer

Björn Daniel Arne Yttling is a Swedish music producer, songwriter, and musician. His production and songwriting credits include Lykke Li, Chrissie Hynde, Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand, Sahara Hotnights, Anna Ternheim. Yttling is the bassist of the indie rock trio Peter Bjorn and John. He is also a co-founder of the label and artist collective INGRID and a member of the band LIV.

Lykke Li Swedish singer

Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, known as Lykke Li, is a Swedish singer, songwriter and model. Her music often blends elements of indie pop, dream pop and electronic. Her debut studio album, Youth Novels, was released in 2008, and has been followed by Wounded Rhymes (2011), I Never Learn (2014), and So Sad So Sexy (2018).

<i>Youth Novels</i> 2008 studio album by Lykke Li

Youth Novels is the debut studio album by Swedish singer and songwriter Lykke Li, released on 30 January 2008 on her own label, the EMI-distributed LL Recordings. The album was entirely produced by Björn Yttling of Swedish indie pop band Peter Bjorn and John and co-produced by Lasse Mårtén. Youth Novels spawned four singles: "Little Bit", "I'm Good, I'm Gone", "Breaking It Up" and "Tonight".

Miike Snow 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).

Animal (Miike Snow song) 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.

Christian Karlsson (DJ) 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.

It Dont Move Me 2009 single by Peter Bjorn and John

"It Don't Move Me" is a song by Swedish rock band Peter Bjorn and John, released as the third single from their fifth studio album Living Thing. It was written and composed by group members Peter Morén, Björn Yttling, and John Eriksson, and produced by the latter of the three. The song, like much of the album, is influenced by synthpop, featuring common synthpop elements such as electronically tweaked drums and synthesizers.

Emile Haynie, often credited simply as Emile, is an American music producer from Buffalo, New York. His range of production includes alternative rock, hip hop, indie and pop music. Haynie has worked with several prominent artists in the music industry including Kanye West, Eminem, Lana Del Rey, Florence Welch and Camila Cabello, among others. Additionally, Haynie received two Grammy Awards for his work with English singer Adele, namely Album of the Year for the diamond certified 25 as well as Record of the Year for "Hello".

John Eriksson Is a Swedish musician and composer best known as a founding member of Peter Bjorn and John.

Ingrid (record label) Swedish record label, artist collective

Ingrid is a Swedish artist collective and record label founded in 2012. They released their first compilation on Record Store Day in 2012. The collective's musical work is notable for containing multiple side-projects by its members that do not adhere to the line-ups of their primary ventures; for example, Björn Yttling has a track entitled "Cuban Lips" under the stage name Yttling Jazz on the Ingrid Volym 1 compilation; however, he is also featured as a member of the band Smile along with Teddybears member Joakim Åhlund. All of the bands featured on the compilation are of this nature or are solo works. The record label has been managed by Niklas Hallberg since March 2013.

The Wave (Miike Snow song) 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.

Miike Snow discography band discography

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.

<i>Yes, Im a Witch Too</i> 2016 remix album by Yoko Ono

Yes, I'm a Witch Too is a collaboration and remix LP from Yoko Ono. The street date is February 19, 2016 via Manimal Vinyl Records. The LP features remixes and collaborations from Death Cab for Cutie, Moby, Portugal. The Man, Sparks, Peter Bjorn and John, Miike Snow, Sean Lennon, Cibo Matto and others. It is a sequel to 2007's acclaimed Yes, I'm a Witch.

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.

<i>Darker Days</i> (Peter Bjorn and John album) 2018 studio album by Peter Bjorn and John

Darker Days is the eighth album by Peter Bjorn and John. It was released on 19 October 2018 on the INGRID label.

<i>Endless Dream</i> (album) 2020 studio album by Peter Bjorn and John

Endless Dream is the ninth album by Peter Bjorn and John. It was released on 13 March 2020 on the Ingrid label of which the band are co-founders.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Breakin' Point (Deluxe Edition) (Media notes). Peter Bjorn and John. PBJ Musik, Ingrid. 2016. NGRD153.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Murray, Robin (9 June 2016). "Breakin' Point: The Return Of Peter, Bjorn and John". Clash . Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Listen to 'World Record: Peter Bjorn and John – 'Breakin' Point''". Apple Music . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bachmann, Brit. "Our interview with Peter Bjorn and John". Northern Transmissions. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  5. 1 2 Ilkowski, Kim (2 March 2017). "Peter Bjorn And John – 'Stuck'". Stereogum . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 DeVille, Chris (24 March 2016). "Peter Bjorn And John – 'Breakin' Point' (Stereogum Premiere)". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 Adams, Gregory (24 March 2016). "Peter Bjorn and John 'Breakin' Point'". Exclaim! . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  8. ↑ Resiman, Will (4 May 2016). "Peter Bjorn and John's New Album Breakin' Point Proves They've Got More Hits Beyond 2006's 'Young Folks'". SF Weekly . Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  9. ↑ Mitchell, Nick (25 March 2016). "Peter Bjorn and John whistle once again on 'Breakin' Point'". WOW247. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  10. ↑ Kerr, Rose (13 June 2016). "Peter Bjorn & John: Breakin' Point". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  11. ↑ Pearis, Bill (25 March 2016). "Peter Bjorn and John whistle up 'Breakin' Point' title track (listen)". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  12. ↑ Butler, Will (30 June 2016). "Peter, Bjorn and John - Breakin' Point". Clash. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  13. 1 2 Kaplan, Ilana (8 June 2016). "Peter, Bjorn and John Almost Broke Up. Instead, They Reclaimed Their Sound on Breakin' Point". Esquire . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  14. 1 2 Geslani, Michelle (24 March 2016). "Peter Bjorn and John share lovely new song 'Breakin' Point' – listen". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  15. 1 2 3 "Breakin' Point – Single av Peter Bjorn and John". Apple Music. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  16. 1 2 Kaye, Ben (21 April 2016). "Miike Snow remix Peter Bjorn and John's new single 'Breakin' Point' — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  17. 1 2 3 "Breakin' Point – Peter Bjorn and John". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  18. ↑ "An exclusive Q&A with Peter Bjorn and John's Peter Morén". Amped Distribution. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  19. ↑ Miller, Kellan (13 June 2016). "Album Review: Peter Bjorn and John – Breakin' Point". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  20. ↑ Fitzgerald, Colin (22 June 2016). "Peter Bjorn and John: Breakin' Point". PopMatters . Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  21. ↑ Hays, Ian (16 June 2019). "Peter, Bjorn and John – Breakin' Point". The 405 . Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  22. ↑ Sendra, Tim. "Breakin' Point – Peter Bjorn and John". AllMusic . Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  23. ↑ "Peter Bjorn And John – Breakin' Point" (in French). Ultratop . Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  24. ↑ Velez, Cat (16 June 2016). "Peter Bjorn And John 'Breakin' Point' by HochR". Promo News. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  25. 1 2 "Premiere: Peter Bjorn and John's 'Breakin' Point' Video is Lonely in Good Company". Noisey . 14 June 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  26. ↑ Budd, Chris. "Video: 'Breakin' Point' by Peter Bjorn and John". Indie Music Filter. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 Petzold, Dirk. "Peter, Bjorn and John – Breakin' Point". We and the Color. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  28. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (17 June 2016). "The 5 Best Videos Of The Week". Stereogum. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  29. 1 2 "Breakin' Point (Miike Snow Remix) – Single by Peter Bjorn and John". Apple Music. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
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.