We Are the Night
Encyclopedia
We Are the Night is the sixth studio album
by English big beat
duo The Chemical Brothers
, released on 27 June 2007. The record entered the UK Albums Chart
at number 1 and debuted at number 65 on the Billboard 200
. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
.
The album won the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album
at the 50th Grammy Awards
, making The Chemical Brothers the only artist to win this award more than once.
series on white label
.
"Electronic Battle Weapon 8" and "Electronic Battle Weapon 9" debuted on Pete Tong
's BBC Radio 1
show on 8 December 2006. The two tracks were later released as a double A-sided vinyl record prior to The Chemical Brothers' New Year's Eve appearance at Turnmills
in London
. A version of "Electronic Battle Weapon 8" is featured on the We Are the Night album under the title "Saturate". At the same Turnmills appearance, the duo debuted a track at midnight to welcome the new year. This track was eventually released as "Burst Generator", found on the album.
The Chemical Brothers officially announced We Are the Night at their MySpace
page on 21 March 2007. It suffered a delay in release due to an issue during production of the artwork. An online "old-skool" The Chemical Brothers computer game by EMI
was subsequently released as an apology.
On 12 April 2007, Tong was again privileged to debut a track by The Chemical Brothers. The first single from the album, "Do It Again
", aired on his Radio 1 "In New Music We Trust" show.
old sounds The Chemical Brothers used on other albums. For example the song "We Are the Night" uses a direct sample from "The Sunshine Underground" from Surrender
.
The album also includes samples of outside sources. The title track "We Are the Night" incorporates samples from "Decimazione Amanti" by Riz Ortolani
and a reading of Ode to D.A. Levy by Bill Bissett
. "A Modern Midnight's Conversation" uses a sample from Barbara & Ernie's recording of "Listen to Your Heart".
The opening track, "No Path to Follow", is an intro track used for the title track which follows the song on the album. As with all other albums by The Chemical Brothers, some of the tracks segue into the next. These are 5 into 6, 8 into 9, 9 into 10, and finally 10 into 11.
"Do It Again
" was released on 14 May 2007. It reached number 12 in the UK charts.
"The Salmon Dance
" was released on 10 September 2007 and reached number 27 in the UK charts.
"Battle Scars" was released as a download in remix form in later 2007. Subtitled "Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve Re-Animation". It is also a double A-side with the "Heavily Smoked by The Glimmers" remix of "The Salmon Dance".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by English big beat
Big beat
Big beat is a term employed since the mid-1990s by the British music press to describe much of the music by artists such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method, and Propellerheads typically driven by heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns in...
duo The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...
, released on 27 June 2007. The record entered the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
at number 1 and debuted at number 65 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
.
The album won the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album
Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album
The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the dance music and electronica genres...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
, making The Chemical Brothers the only artist to win this award more than once.
Background
In June 2006, it was announced on their official website that The Chemical Brothers were working on material for a new album, then-codenamed "Chemical 6". Ed Simons of the duo was also quoted as saying that they would hope to "put a battle weapon out for the summer", a reference to their Electronic Battle WeaponElectronic Battle Weapon
"Electronic Battle Weapon" is a series of singles by The Chemical Brothers made for DJs to play in clubs. The songs have been used as tracks in several albums as well as b-sides of other singles.-Singles:...
series on white label
White label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
.
"Electronic Battle Weapon 8" and "Electronic Battle Weapon 9" debuted on Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
's 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...
show on 8 December 2006. The two tracks were later released as a double A-sided vinyl record prior to The Chemical Brothers' New Year's Eve appearance at Turnmills
Turnmills
Turnmills was a London nightclub on the corner of Turnmill Street and Clerkenwell Road in the London Borough of Islington. It closed on the morning of 24 March 2008....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. A version of "Electronic Battle Weapon 8" is featured on the We Are the Night album under the title "Saturate". At the same Turnmills appearance, the duo debuted a track at midnight to welcome the new year. This track was eventually released as "Burst Generator", found on the album.
The Chemical Brothers officially announced We Are the Night at their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page on 21 March 2007. It suffered a delay in release due to an issue during production of the artwork. An online "old-skool" The Chemical Brothers computer game by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
was subsequently released as an apology.
On 12 April 2007, Tong was again privileged to debut a track by The Chemical Brothers. The first single from the album, "Do It Again
Do It Again (The Chemical Brothers song)
"Do It Again" is a song by the English electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers and is the fifth track on their 2007 studio album We Are the Night. The song also features Ali Love and was released as the first single from that album in early June 2007 . It reached its highest chart position in...
", aired on his Radio 1 "In New Music We Trust" show.
Structure
Used throughout the album is the nostalgic technique of samplingSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
old sounds The Chemical Brothers used on other albums. For example the song "We Are the Night" uses a direct sample from "The Sunshine Underground" from Surrender
Surrender (The Chemical Brothers album)
Surrender is the third studio album by British big beat duo The Chemical Brothers, released on 21 June 1999. It features Noel Gallagher , Hope Sandoval , and Bernard Sumner as guest vocalists...
.
The album also includes samples of outside sources. The title track "We Are the Night" incorporates samples from "Decimazione Amanti" by Riz Ortolani
Riz Ortolani
Riziero "Riz" Ortolani is an Italian film composer.In the early 1950s Ortolani was founder and member of a jazz band of national Italian renown...
and a reading of Ode to D.A. Levy by Bill Bissett
Bill Bissett
bill bissett is a Canadian poet famous for his anti-conventional style. He often does not capitalise his name or use capital letters.-Life:...
. "A Modern Midnight's Conversation" uses a sample from Barbara & Ernie's recording of "Listen to Your Heart".
The opening track, "No Path to Follow", is an intro track used for the title track which follows the song on the album. As with all other albums by The Chemical Brothers, some of the tracks segue into the next. These are 5 into 6, 8 into 9, 9 into 10, and finally 10 into 11.
Singles
"Saturate" was released on 1 June 2006 as "Electronic Battle Weapon 8" exclusively for DJs to use in clubs."Do It Again
Do It Again (The Chemical Brothers song)
"Do It Again" is a song by the English electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers and is the fifth track on their 2007 studio album We Are the Night. The song also features Ali Love and was released as the first single from that album in early June 2007 . It reached its highest chart position in...
" was released on 14 May 2007. It reached number 12 in the UK charts.
"The Salmon Dance
The Salmon Dance
"The Salmon Dance" is a Hip hop/big beat song by the English electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers and is the 7th track on their 2007 studio album We Are the Night. It features vocals by Fatlip, a rapper who is a former member of the alternative rap group The Pharcyde and was released as the...
" was released on 10 September 2007 and reached number 27 in the UK charts.
"Battle Scars" was released as a download in remix form in later 2007. Subtitled "Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve Re-Animation". It is also a double A-side with the "Heavily Smoked by The Glimmers" remix of "The Salmon Dance".