View source for Days of Thunder

{{About|the EP|the song|Days of Thunder (song)}}
<div class="hidden-image">
[[File:Days of thunder - ep.jpg|300px|thumb|]]
</div>
{{Infobox album
| name       = Days of Thunder
| type       = EP
| artist     = [[The Midnight]]
| cover      = {{MusicAlbum|link=https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2356232839/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=f81674/minimal=true/transparent=true/}}
| border     = 
| alt        =
| released   = July 15, 2014
| recorded   = 
| studio     =
| genre      = Synthwave
| length     = 37:18
| label      = The Midnight Music
| producer   = [[Tim McEwan]]
| prev_title = 
| prev_year  =
| next_title = 
| next_year  = 
| misc       = {{Extra chronology
 | artist     = [[The Midnight]]
 | type       =
 | title      = [[File:Days_of_thunder_-_ep.jpg|50px|link=|frameless]]<br>Days of Thunder
 | year       = 2014
 | next_title = [[File:Endless_summer_-_album.jpg|50px|link=|frameless]]<br>[[Endless Summer]]
 | next_year  = 2016
}}{{Extra album cover
 | header  = 
 | type    = 
 | cover   = Days of Thunder Old Cover.jpg
 | border  = 
 | cover_size = 280
 | alt     = 
 | caption = Original album cover
}}
}}

'''Days of Thunder''' is the debut extended play (EP) by [[The Midnight]]. It was released independently by the band on July 15, 2014.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=July 15, 2014 |title=Days of Thunder {{!}} The Midnight |url=https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/days-of-thunder |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217081123/https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/days-of-thunder |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |access-date=April 7, 2022 |website=Bandcamp}}</ref>

No singles from ''Days of Thunder'' were released prior to the EP's release, but in 2016 the label Silk Music issued remix singles for the songs [[WeMoveForward]] and [[Days of Thunder (song)|Days of Thunder]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 28, 2016 |title=WeMoveForward (incl. Talamanca Remix) {{!}} The Midnight |url=https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/wemoveforward-incl-talamanca-remix |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914222226/https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/wemoveforward-incl-talamanca-remix |archive-date=September 9, 2021 |access-date=April 7, 2022 |website=Bandcamp}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 1, 2016 |title=Days Of Thunder {{!}} The Midnight |url=https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/days-of-thunder-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408214016/https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/days-of-thunder-2 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=April 9, 2022 |website=Bandcamp}}</ref> The singles included the original songs and remixes that would later appear on the 2017 remix album [[The Midnight Remixed]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 14, 2017 |title=The Midnight Remixed {{!}} The Midnight |url=https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/the-midnight-remixed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408214041/https://themidnight.bandcamp.com/album/the-midnight-remixed |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website=Bandcamp}}</ref>

== Background and composition ==
[[Tim McEwan]] and [[Tyler Lyle]] met in 2012 at a songwriter's workshop in [[wikipedia:North Hollywood|North Hollywood]] organized by Katie Donovan, Lyle’s A&amp;R representative at the time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=November 12, 2017 |title=Who Are The Midnight?: An Interview with the Masters of Modern Nostalgia |url=https://vehlinggo.com/2017/11/12/the-midnight-interview-nocturnal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324190301/https://vehlinggo.com/2017/11/12/the-midnight-interview-nocturnal/ |archive-date=March 24, 2022 |access-date=April 3, 2022 |website=Vehlinggo}}</ref> Prior to meeting, McEwan had listened to some of Lyle’s previous work and liked Lyle’s folk sound. They bonded over a mutual love of 80s rock and after initially struggling to define their sound, decided to enter the synthwave genre at the suggestion of McEwan. McEwan had prior exposure to the burgeoning synthwave genre and was inspired by the movie [[wikipedia:Drive (2011 film)|Drive]]. The first song they wrote as a duo was [[WeMoveForward]],<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 30, 2019 |title=Retrowave Sessions Ep 2: The Midnight - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=266&v=X9VPeEZKxlY&feature=youtu.be |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408215541/https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=3023&v=waQy2WKHiwY&feature=youtu.be |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2022 |website=YouTube}}</ref> and the same day they also wrote the chorus for [[Gloria]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2016 |title=The Midnight // Interview by (( URY Music )) {{!}} Mixcloud |url=https://www.mixcloud.com/URYMusic/the-midnight-interview/ |url-status=live |website=MixCloud|access-date=April 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403163513/https://www.mixcloud.com/URYMusic/the-midnight-interview/|archive-date=April 8, 2022}}</ref> Over the next two years, they continued writing and recording songs, leading to the release of ''Days of Thunder''.

The EP was not promoted with any singles but still managed to make a modest impact upon release. At the time, the synthwave genre of music was still emerging and had yet to gain significant traction. ''Days of Thunder'' was given a positive review on the website DRIVE Radio and caught the attention of several Reddit communities throughout 2014 and 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 30, 2014 |title=The Midnight - My favorite radio station DRIVE Radio posted a... {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/TheMidnightOfficial/posts/pfbid028pfZEGEWs3hdP4Hgr4T229HB2661UqZNPHBRDX1BDXnfzLZfirh7KpCUMYD3eZNJl |url-status=live |access-date=September 24, 2023 |website=Facebook|archive-url=https://themidnight.wiki/archivepages/DaysOfThunderDriveRadio.html|archive-date=September 25, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 2, 2014 |title=The Midnight - Days of Thunder (2014) : futuresynth |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/futuresynth/comments/2fahw0/the_midnight_days_of_thunder_2014/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://themidnight.wiki/archivepages/DaysOfThunderReddit1.html |archive-date=September 11, 2023 |access-date=September 11, 2023 |website=Reddit}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 24, 2014 |title=The Midnight -- Days of Thunder [Synthwave/Synthpop] (2014) : listentothis |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/listentothis/comments/2efnew/the_midnight_days_of_thunder_synthwavesynthpop/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824154354/http://www.reddit.com/r/listentothis/comments/2efnew/the_midnight_days_of_thunder_synthwavesynthpop/ |archive-date=August 24, 2014 |access-date=September 11, 2023 |website=Reddit}}</ref> When The Midnight's first album [[Endless Summer]] was released in 2016, synthwave and its online communities were much more established, drawing many new listeners to ''Days of Thunder''. [[Gloria]], [[Days of Thunder (song)|Days of Thunder]], and [[Los Angeles]] became popular songs of the genre and continue to be regularly performed by the band at live shows.

== Music and lyrics ==
The primary themes explored by The Midnight on ''Days of Thunder'' are escapism, love, isolation, existentialism, and nostalgia, particularly when looked at through the lens of city life.

The EP begins with [[The Years (prologue)]], a slow moving tribute to Lyle's wife Anna, whom he met after moving to Los Angeles in the early 2010s. The inclusion of "prologue" in the song title indicates it as being not only a precursor to the other songs on the EP but also establishing the relationship of Lyle and Anna as preceding The Midnight's formation. The main synth riff slowly crescendos as the song progresses to include drums, guitar, and a chanting vocal. The final lyric in the song, "aimless and upward", is a recurring motif in Lyle's solo work and unifies his musical background with the production style of McEwan. 

[[Gloria]] increases the tempo and octane of the EP with pulsing synth stabs and heavy guitar riffs, with lyrics expressing a near existentialist cry for help. The song leans heavily into the the themes of isolation and escapism, trademarks of the synthwave genre. [[WeMoveForward]] has a significantly more progressive house feel and recounts a tale of love discovered at the beach. Proclaiming "we move forward, because we can't go back", the song emphasizes the ideal of living life in the present and taking chances.

Beginning with the sound of a car engine starting, the [[Days of Thunder (song)|title track]] evokes high speed chases from 80s action films with strong synth patterns, loud percussion, and distinctive saxophone riffs, which would become a trademark of The Midnight's sound. Discussing the dark side of love, ''Days of Thunder'' also explores the idea of feeling alone in a big city, describing "the ghosts of the boulevard" as "living with lonely hearts". [[Kick Drums & Red Wine]], another synth driven song, explores the ways people search for answers in life by pretending to be something they're not, with the narrator choosing to find relief through authenticity and "kick drums and red wine". 

The EP concludes with [[Los Angeles]], an ode to the birthplace of The Midnight written by Lyle upon moving from Los Angeles to New York City. The moderately paced song has a more sparse production compared to the previous songs on the EP, recounting memories shared at various places including the beach, Sunset Boulevard, and the canyons and mountains of Los Angeles. Often regarded as one of The Midnight's signature songs, ''Los Angeles'' ties together the EP's themes and the band's mantra of ''mono no aware'' with Lyle declaring, "if we live forever let us live forever tonight". 

== Official description ==

<blockquote>
''The Days of Thunder

''There is a Japanese term: Mono no aware. It means basically, the sad beauty of seeing time pass - the aching awareness of impermanence. These are the days that we will return to one day in the future only in memories. How do we capture them? How could we possibly be able to fully appreciate them in the present? This project is our attempt to put time under glass.''

''The Midnight is a marriage between a songwriter from the Deep South and a producer from Denmark who both live in Los Angeles. The songs were written in North Hollywood and Santa Monica over two years and represent the first fruit of The Midnight. This is our love song to our city and a testament to the weight these years can hold.''

<ref name=":1" />
</blockquote>{{clear}}
== Track listing ==
{{Track listing
| all_writing = [[Tim McEwan]] and [[Tyler Lyle]]
| all_producing = Tim McEwan
| title1 = [[The Years (prologue)]]
| length1 = 6:08
| title2 = [[Gloria]]
| length2 = 4:49
| title3 = [[WeMoveForward]]
| length3 = 8:07
| title4 = [[Days of Thunder (song) |Days of Thunder]]
| length4 = 5:24
| title5 = [[Kick Drums & Red Wine]]
| length5 = 6:21
| title6 = [[Los Angeles]]
| length6 = 6:29
| total_length = 37:18
}}

== Release history and variants ==
<div class="curved-table">
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Digital release history for ''Days of Thunder''
! scope="col" style="border-top-left-radius: 15px; width: 10em;" | Date
! scope="col" style="border-top-right-radius: 15px; width: 10em;" |Edition
|-
|July 15, 2014
|Standard
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:Days of Thunder Old Cover.jpg|center|frameless|125x125px]]<br />[[File:Days of thunder - ep.jpg|center|frameless|125x125px]]</div><div class="item2">Artwork was changed to current revision in February 2016 due to potential copyright issues with the original image.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2016 |title=The Midnight - It has come to our attention that we,... {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/TheMidnightOfficial/posts/pfbid0Wfo8GCNZH8Hq3pndpACPggwDZVqYyaRHhKgP8VcyMrhtY3vsx3w4famrhkMMk1Z5l |archive-url=https://themidnight.wiki/archivepages/DaysOfThunderAlbumArtChange.html |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=Facebook}}</ref> The artwork it was changed to was first used for the release of [[Lost & Found (The Midnight Remix)]].</div></div>
|-
|March 20, 2016
|Instrumentals
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:Days of thunder - ep.jpg|center|frameless|125x125px]]</div><div class="item2">The instrumentals were originally uploaded to Soundcloud in June 2015 prior to getting an official release on Bandcamp and streaming services.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 20, 2015 |title=The Midnight - All the instrumentals for "Days of Thunder"... {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/TheMidnightOfficial/posts/1589630381261775 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://themidnight.wiki/archivepages/DaysOfThunderInstrumentalsSoundcloud.html |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |website=Facebook}}</ref></div></div>
|-
|May 7, 2021
|Stems
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-bottom-right-radius:15px" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:Days of thunder - ep.jpg|center|frameless|125x125px]]</div><div class="item2">Contains the six songs from the EP denoted with BPMs plus 94 stem parts comprising all songs. The stems are not royalty free but projects and remixes made with them are allowed to be used on non-monetized platforms.</div></div>
|}
</div>
<div class="curved-table">
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Physical release history for ''Days of Thunder''
! scope="col" style="border-top-left-radius: 15px; width: 10em;" | Year
! scope="col" style="width: 10em;" | Format
! scope="col" style="border-top-right-radius: 15px; width: 10em;" |Color/Design
|-
|2018
|Cassette
|White
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:DaysOfThunderWhiteCassette.webp|center|frameless|150x150px]]</div><div class="item2">First tape variant. Was first offered for sale at the Spring 2018 shows with the remaining stock being sold online.</div></div>
|-
|2018
|Cassette
|Transparent Red
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder Casette Red.webp|center|frameless|150x150px]]</div><div class="item2">Second tape variant.</div></div>
|-
|2018
|LP
|Transparent Red
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;"|<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder LP Red 5ec3b32f-a678-49b9-a88d-dadd48b92db8.webp|center|frameless|150x150px]]</div><div class="item2">First vinyl variant. The EP was remastered for this release. [[Lost & Found (The Midnight Remix)|Lost & Found]] is included as a bonus track. Preorders began in June 2018 and were shipped in September.
</div></div>
|-
|2022
|CD
| -
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:TM_Web_Music_Days-Of-Thunder_CD_Main.webp|center|frameless|150x150px]]<br />[[File:TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder CD Open.webp|center|frameless|150x150px]]</div><div class="item2">''Lost & Found'' is erroneously included on the printed tracklist. A download link to the song is sent when purchasing the CD.</div></div>
|-
|2022
|LP
|Blue Swirl
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; border-bottom-left-radius:15px; border-bottom-right-radius:15px" |<div class="tour-listing"><div class="item1">[[File:TM Web Music Days-Of-Thunder LP-Blue-Swirl.webp|center|frameless|150x150px]]</div><div class="item2">Second vinyl variant. ''Lost & Found'' is included as a bonus track.</div></div>
|}
</div>

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Days of Thunder]]
<noinclude>
[[Category:Releases]]‎</noinclude>{{TheMidnight}}