| "Synthetic" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Midnight | |
| from the album Endless Summer | |
| Released | August 5, 2016 |
| Length | 3:19 |
| Label | The Midnight Music |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Tim McEwan |
| Endless Summer track listing | |
Endless Summer
| |
Synthetic[1] is a song by The Midnight. It is the fifth track from their album Endless Summer. On December 18, 2017, Silk Music released a remix single of Synthetic containing five remixed versions of the song, the fourth and final single from The Midnight Remixed.[2]
The song was written by band members Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle and produced by McEwan. It has a running time of three minutes and 19 seconds and is in the key of E-flat major. Synthetic is one of only two The Midnight songs with McEwan being the main vocalist; the other one is Comet.
In addition to appearing on The Midnight Remixed, the Mango vs. We Are All Astronauts Remix of Synthetic appears on the Silk Music compilation Deep House Essentials 2018.[3] The We Are All Astronauts & Lost Empire Remix appears on the compilation Silk Music Pres. Progressive House Essentials 07.[4]
Official description
Synthetic (Mango, We Are All Astronauts, Lost Empire Remixes)
This past summer, we had the enormous privilege of releasing an album of remixes, in celebration of the past work of acclaimed synthwave duo The Midnight. We were thrilled to witness this release reach the Top 25 on the Billboard Dance / Electronic Albums Chart, and The Midnight have since sold out celebrated venues in both San Francisco (DNA Lounge) and Los Angeles (Globe Theatre). Our final single from "The Midnight Remixed" is a love letter to "Synthetic," a distinctive cut in The Midnight's oeuvre, given that it features a rare vocal from the band's producer, Tim McEwan. Initially showcased on the album itself, the glorious Mango vs. We Are All Astronauts remix is, of course, included here, as well as four other eclectic, yet equally inspired new takes.
Kicking off the release, visionary Boston-based composer We Are All Astronauts reveals the first of several collaborative "Synthetic" interpretations; he is joined by American producer and fellow Silk Music newcomer Lost Empire on this specific rendering. In the early going, a gentle house beat, infused with a deep, swingy groove, sits below Tim McEwan's soulful vocal. As the song progresses, a symphonic layer to the arrangement emerges, ultimately leading to a poignant, string-backed main breakdown. Signaling the full thematic metamorphosis of the song's protagonist to a non-human entity, a video-game inspired new melody line carries the midrange to the song's conclusion.
On "The Midnight Remixed," label muse Mango, alongside We Are All Astronauts, revealed his first production in years, an inspired indie-house take on "Synthetic," now appearing on this follow-up single as well. Waves of melody imbue the soundscape with touches of both melancholy and euphoria, which is to say: Mango is in vintage form from the song's earliest moments. The juxtaposition of Tim's wistful vocal with Mango & WAAA's uplifting instrumentation feels pitch-perfect for the nostalgic mood evoked by The Midnight's music, in general.
Finally, We Are All Astronauts offers his own solo interpretation, in which the arrangement is denuded of any percussive elements via a glorious, fully orchestral three-minute intro. The heartrending instrumentation, matched by Tim's affecting vocal performance, sets up a cathartic, 'post-rock' finale, in which ambient-electronic textures provide the underpinning for an edgy and, ultimately, anthemic rock score. As Tim's vocal gently fades into a sea of symphonic sounds, the coda poignantly captures the transience of life's beauty.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Synthetic (We Are All Astronauts & Lost Empire Remix)" | 7:19 |
| 2. | "Synthetic (Mango vs. We Are All Astronauts Vocal Remix)" | 7:40 |
| 3. | "Synthetic (We Are All Astronauts 'Post-Rock' Vocal Remix)" | 6:00 |
| 4. | "Synthetic (Mango vs. We Are All Astronauts Dub Remix)" | 7:40 |
| 5. | "Synthetic (We Are All Astronauts 'Post-Rock' Instrumental Remix)" | 6:00 |
| Total length: | 34:39 | |
Lyrics
Been trying to move on
Been black and blue
Trying to turn the old
Into something new
You found somebody
I found someone too
She got everything I need
Yeah but she's not you
I locked my love into the ground
Hoped it never could be found
Body slowly shutting down
And now I am...
I'm still alive but I can't feel
I got stuff inside but it's not real
They say I'm fine but I feel synthetic
Nothing human left in me
I'm just a machine full of moving parts
I got emptiness where I used to have a heart
I'm still breathing but I'm synthetic
Nothing human left in me
Nothing human about me
No emotion
Just autotune
Left who I was back there with you
Maybe I died
And I kept movin'
In a body made from plastic and glue
I locked my love into the ground
Hoped it never could be found
Body slowly shutting down
And now I am...
I'm still alive but I can't feel
I got stuff inside but it's not real
They say I'm fine but I feel synthetic
Nothing human left in me
I'm just a machine full of moving parts
I got emptiness where I used to have a heart
I'm still breathing but I'm synthetic
Nothing human left in me
Nothing human about me
Lyrics source[1]
Official versions
Synthetic (instrumental)
from Endless Summer (the instrumentals)
Synthetic (We Are All Astronauts & Lost Empire Remix)
from Synthetic (Mango, We Are All Astronauts, Lost Empire Remixes)
Synthetic (We Are All Astronauts 'Post-Rock' Vocal Remix)
from Synthetic (Mango, We Are All Astronauts, Lost Empire Remixes)
Synthetic (Mango vs. We Are All Astronauts Dub Remix)
from Synthetic (Mango, We Are All Astronauts, Lost Empire Remixes)
Synthetic (We Are All Astronauts 'Post-Rock' Instrumental Remix)
from Synthetic (Mango, We Are All Astronauts, Lost Empire Remixes)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Synthetic | The Midnight". Bandcamp. August 5, 2016. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Synthetic (Mango, We Are All Astronauts, Lost Empire Remixes) | The Midnight". Bandcamp. December 18, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- ↑ "Deep House Essentials 2018 - Monstercat". Monstercat. January 25, 2018. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Silk Music Pres. Progressive House Essentials 07 - Monstercat". Monstercat. March 5, 2018. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
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