Self Machine
Encyclopedia
"Selfmachine" is a song by English band I Blame Coco from their debut album, The Constant
. Produced by Klas Åhlund
, it was released as the album's second single
in digital format
on 11 July 2010, with a 12" vinyl
released the following day. The single was remixed by both Sub Focus
and La Roux
, and was added to BBC Radio 1
's B List playlist on 9 June 2010. The track was featured in the eighteenth of the fourth season of Gossip Girl
, titled "The Kids Stay in the Picture" and aired 18 April 2011.
awarded the song four out of five stars, calling it "a percolating electropop ditty with intriguing lyrics about a 'lonely robot in a wasteland', a nice bit of SAW-style vocal trickery—yes, really!—and a chorus melody that flirts with brilliance." Ben Weisz of musicOMH
referred to the song's "glorious synth-pop
" as "ubiquitous", adding that "[t]he dystopian depth to the lyrics is rarely encountered in something so catchy and danceable." Alex Denney from the NME
commented that the track "recreates The Killers' clubby output, right down to the twinkly smattering of keys."
at number sixty-four on 18 July 2010, falling out of the top 100 the following week. In Germany, the single peaked at number fifty-six and spent ten weeks on the chart.
on 7 June 2010. It features Sumner and a group of teenagers performing playing around in an empty, waterless swimming pool. Throughout the video, the teenagers are seen playing with a transluscent sheet which is propelled into the air at various stages too. In the latter half of the video, Sumner is seen in slow motion releasing water from her hands.
The Constant (I Blame Coco album)
The Constant is the debut album by the English band I Blame Coco. It was initially released in most of mainland Europe in October 2010, and subsequently in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2010. It was preceded by three singles: "Caesar" , "Selfmachine", "Quicker" and "In Spirit Golden"...
. Produced by Klas Åhlund
Klas Åhlund
Klas Frans Åhlund is a Swedish songwriter, record producer, and guitarist. He is the founding member of the Swedish rock band Teddybears...
, it was released as the album's second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in digital format
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on 11 July 2010, with a 12" vinyl
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
released the following day. The single was remixed by both Sub Focus
Sub Focus
Nick Douwma, better known by his stage name Sub Focus, is an English Electronic Music record producer. He has been releasing records since 2003. On 12 October 2009, he released his self-titled debut album.-Chart success:...
and La Roux
La Roux
La Roux are an English electropop duo made up of singer, keyboardist, co-writer and co-producer Eleanor Kate Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. Jackson describes their relationship as "very much a half and half sharing situation... not like a singer producer outfit", but also...
, and was added to BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's B List playlist on 9 June 2010. The track was featured in the eighteenth of the fourth season of Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (season 4)
The fourth season of Gossip Girl, an American teen drama based upon the book series by Cecily von Ziegesar. Developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The CW officially renewed the series for a full fourth season on February 16, 2010...
, titled "The Kids Stay in the Picture" and aired 18 April 2011.
Critical reception
Nick Levine of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
awarded the song four out of five stars, calling it "a percolating electropop ditty with intriguing lyrics about a 'lonely robot in a wasteland', a nice bit of SAW-style vocal trickery—yes, really!—and a chorus melody that flirts with brilliance." Ben Weisz of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
referred to the song's "glorious synth-pop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
" as "ubiquitous", adding that "[t]he dystopian depth to the lyrics is rarely encountered in something so catchy and danceable." Alex Denney from the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
commented that the track "recreates The Killers' clubby output, right down to the twinkly smattering of keys."
Chart performance
Having been predicted to debut within the top forty by Digital Spy, "Selfmachine" debuted on the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number sixty-four on 18 July 2010, falling out of the top 100 the following week. In Germany, the single peaked at number fifty-six and spent ten weeks on the chart.
Music video
The music video for "Selfmachine" premiered on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
on 7 June 2010. It features Sumner and a group of teenagers performing playing around in an empty, waterless swimming pool. Throughout the video, the teenagers are seen playing with a transluscent sheet which is propelled into the air at various stages too. In the latter half of the video, Sumner is seen in slow motion releasing water from her hands.
Track listing
- UK iTunes single
- "Selfmachine" – 3:54
- "Selfmachine" (Sub FocusSub FocusNick Douwma, better known by his stage name Sub Focus, is an English Electronic Music record producer. He has been releasing records since 2003. On 12 October 2009, he released his self-titled debut album.-Chart success:...
Remix) – 4:09
- UK iTunes remix EP
- "Selfmachine" (La RouxLa RouxLa Roux are an English electropop duo made up of singer, keyboardist, co-writer and co-producer Eleanor Kate Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid. Jackson describes their relationship as "very much a half and half sharing situation... not like a singer producer outfit", but also...
Remix) – 4:16 - "Selfmachine" (Chew FuChew FuChew Fu is a New York based electronic record producer, remixer and DJ, born in the Netherlands.He is best known for his official refixes for pop artists including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Timbaland, Mariah Carey, Far East Movement and Robyn and his distinctive style of production which features a...
Remix) – 6:26 - "Selfmachine" (Pangea Remix) – 4:23
- "Selfmachine" (Jackwob Remix) – 5:03
- UK 12" single
- A1. "Selfmachine" – 3:54
- A2. "Selfmachine" (Sub Focus Remix) – 4:09
- B1. "Stunned" (Coco Sumner, Paddy Byrne, Sam DixonSamuel DixonSamuel Dixon is an Australian record producer, songwriter and musician, based in London.He has frequently collaborated with fellow-Australian Sia Furler. His compositions have featured on her albums, Some People Have Real Problems, Colour the Small One and We Are Born...
) – 3:36 - B2. "Selfmachine" (La Roux Remix) – 4:16
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Tip Chart (Flanders) | 3 |
| Belgian Tip Chart (Wallonia) | 43 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
64 |
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
56 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 11 July 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| 12 July 2010 | 12" single 12-inch single The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality... |