"White Sky" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Vampire Weekend | ||||
from the album Contra | ||||
Released | August 6, 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:58 | |||
Label | XL | |||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) | Ezra Koenig | |||
Producer(s) | Rostam Batmanglij | |||
Vampire Weekend singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
"White Sky" is the fourth single from Vampire Weekend's second album Contra . [1] The single release features three remixes of the song by Basement Jaxx. It is also the first song to be written on Contra, dating back before their debut album was released.
Band keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij made a 30-second loop on his computer, and Ezra Koenig kept listening to it at his home until he came up with the melody for it. [2]
While Koenig considered Contra to be "something of a Californian album", "White Sky" deals with someone exploring New York and its residents. [2]
Vampire Weekend
Technical
Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
Rolling Stone | 50 Best Songs of 2010 [5] | 2010 | 7 |
Chart (2010–11) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders) [6] | 16 |
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia) [7] | 32 |
France (SNEP) [8] | 60 |
Mexico Ingles Airplay ( Billboard ) [9] | 14 |
UK Indie (OCC) [10] | 6 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [11] | 78 |
US Dance/Electronic Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [12] | 7 |
US Hot Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [13] | 22 |
Vampire Weekend is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio.
Vampire Weekend is the eponymous debut studio album by American rock band Vampire Weekend, released on January 29, 2008 by XL Recordings. The album was produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij, with mixing assistance from Jeff Curtin and Shane Stoneback. Its cover photo is a Polaroid picture from one of their early shows in Columbia University. Released after a year of building internet buzz, the album showcased the band's unique hybrid of indie pop, chamber music, and Afropop influences.
Ezra Michael Koenig is an American musician, singer-songwriter, producer, and radio personality. He is best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Additionally, Koenig is the creator of the Netflix animated comedy series Neo Yokio and also hosts the Apple Music radio talk show Time Crisis with Ezra Koenig. Time Crisis is airing its seventh season, as of 2021.
"A-Punk" is a single by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on February 28, 2008 as the second single from their 2008 self-titled debut album. The band made their network television debut by performing "A-Punk" on the Late Show with David Letterman.
"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" is the fourth single by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released 18 August 2008. The song was rated 67th best song of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.
Contra is the second studio album by the American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij and released in January 2010 on XL Recordings. The album title is intended as a thematic allegory and reference, not to the Nicaraguan counter-revolutionaries, but to the 1987 video game Contra.
"Cousins" is the first single from Vampire Weekend's second album Contra. It was recorded by the band in Mexico City and debuted a few days later in Guadalajara. The single was released November 17, 2009 and a 7" was released December 15, 2009.
Christopher William Tomson is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the drummer for New York-based indie rock band Vampire Weekend. He is also the lead vocalist and guitarist for a side project called Dams of the West, for which he writes and records the entirety of its music.
"Giving Up the Gun" is the second single from Vampire Weekend's second album Contra. The song was originally performed by L'Homme Run, a comedic rap duo that featured Vampire Weekend vocalist Ezra Koenig. The video was released February 19, 2010. Koenig got the idea for the song from Noel Perrin's 1979 book titled Giving Up the Gun given to him by his father.
Rostam Batmanglij, known mononymously as Rostam, is an American record producer, musician, singer, songwriter, and composer. He was a founding member of the band Vampire Weekend, whose first three albums he produced. He has been described as one of the greatest pop and indie-rock producers of his generation. Rostam also works as a solo artist and is a member of electro-soul group Discovery. He produced his first number one album when he was 27 years old, Vampire Weekend's Contra.
"Holiday" is a song by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. It was released as the third single from their album Contra. The video premiered on MTV.com on May 27, 2010. The song was featured in Christmas-themed television advertisements for Tommy Hilfiger and Honda during the 2010 holiday season. The single's B-side, "Ottoman", originally appeared on the soundtrack for the 2008 romantic comedy film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
"Run" is a single released by Indie band Vampire Weekend. It is the sixth and final single from their second album Contra, and was released in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2010. There was no music video produced. Lead singer Ezra Koenig said that the song was based on the Bruce Springsteen song, "Born to Run". The single failed to chart.
Modern Vampires of the City is the third studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. It was released on May 14, 2013, by XL Recordings. The group began to write songs for the album during soundchecks on the supporting concert tour for their 2010 album Contra. After a period in which each member explored individual musical projects, they regrouped and continued working on Modern Vampires of the City in 2011. With no deadline in mind, the band brought in an outside record producer for the first time, Ariel Rechtshaid, to record the album.
"Diane Young" is a song by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, taken from their third studio album Modern Vampires of the City. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 19, 2013. A promotional video of the single, which features two Saab 900s burning throughout the duration of the song, was uploaded to Vevo and YouTube on March 18, 2013. The official video to the single was uploaded on June 3, 2013.
"Ya Hey" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend, taken from their third studio album Modern Vampires of the City. It was released as the second single from the album on May 3, 2013 through XL Recordings. An official music video of the single, featuring the lyrics, was uploaded on May 3, 2013.
"Unbelievers" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend. Written by the band's lead singer Ezra Koenig and multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Batmanglij, the song was released as the third single from their third studio album Modern Vampires of the City in August 2013. The band initially premiered "Unbelievers" in a live performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on October 31, 2012. They also performed the song live on an episode of Saturday Night Live prior to it being released as a single.
"Horchata" is a song by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Written by the members of the band and produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij, the song was released as the lead single from their second album Contra on October 5, 2009 via XL Recordings. The single was initially released as a free download on the band's web site. The term "horchata" refers to a traditional beverage often made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, or rice.
"Step" is a song by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Written and composed by band members Ezra Koenig and Rostam Batmanglij and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Batmanglij, the song was released as the fourth and final single from the band's third studio album Modern Vampires of the City. The song was inspired by American hip hop group Souls of Mischief's song "Step to My Girl".
Father of the Bride is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. It was released on May 3, 2019 by Columbia Records, as their first album on a major label.
"This Life" is a song by American rock band Vampire Weekend, released as the third single from their fourth studio album Father of the Bride. It was released on April 4, 2019, by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Unbearably White". The highly referential song contrasts bright music against a lyrical exploration of uncertainty and suffering, and was written by lead singer Ezra Koenig with iLoveMakonnen and Mark Ronson. The track was released to widespread critical acclaim, being described as amongst the band's best work, and peaked at 11 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.