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Not in Love (Crystal Castles song)

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"Not in Love"
A blurry close-up of a face with a scan line effect.
Single by Crystal Castles featuring Robert Smith
ReleasedOctober 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
GenreSynthpop
Length3:49
LabelFiction
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Crystal Castles singles chronology
"Baptism"
(2010) 		"Not in Love"
(2010) 		"Plague"
(2012)
Robert Smith singles chronology
"J'aurai tout essayé"
(2010) 		"Not in Love"
(2010) 		"It Never Was the Same"
(2015)

"Not in Love" is the 1983 Platinum Blonde song "Not in Love", covered twice in 2010 by Canadian electronic music duo Crystal Castles. Of their cover versions, the second one – a re-recording that features English musician Robert Smith of the Cure – is much more widely known. Crystal Castles' first cover version appeared on their second studio album, Crystal Castles (2010), and the version with Robert Smith was digitally released as a single on October 26, 2010. Although the album version was generally seen as unexciting, the version with Smith was named one of the best songs of 2010 by multiple publications. It appeared in the main charts of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Scotland, and the United Kingdom, and was certified gold by Music Canada.

Background and release

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"Not in Love" is a 1983 song by Platinum Blonde. Crystal Castles re-recorded it for Crystal Castles (2010), which, according to a press release, was recorded at "an Icelandic church, a Canadian cabin, and a Detroit garage".[1] Another press release mentions that Crystal Castles opened for the Cure at London's The O2 Arena in February 2009; this was the first time they met.[2] Crystal Castles member Ethan Kath recorded his own vocals for "Not in Love" as "a scratch demo"; he did not intend for them to be final, but they did end up on the album. Following the album's release, Robert Smith of the Cure asked if he could remix a song on Crystal Castles (2010). Kath suggested that Smith replace his vocals in "Not In Love" instead.[3] Robert Smith recorded "raw demo vocals" for the song, but when the band listened to the result they became attached to the way the demo was sung; they decided to keep it as it was, and canceled their plans to record Smith again in a studio.[4]

The Robert Smith version of "Not in Love" was announced on October 24, 2010,[5] and officially released two days later.[6] It was planned to be released on December 6 in the United Kingdom via Fiction Records, with the B-sides containing acoustic demos of "Celestica" and "Suffocation", but the UK release never happened.[5][7] A music video directed by Nic Brown was released in January 2011.[8][9] The song was featured in the video game FIFA 12 (2011).[10]

Composition

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"Not in Love" (album version)
The album version of "Not in Love" is calmer,[11] with Kath providing distant vocals.[12]
"Not in Love" (version with Robert Smith)
The version with Robert Smith has stronger synths[12][13] and vocal delivery,[12] as well as a heavier mix in the chorus.[14]
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Crystal Castles' first cover of "Not in Love" was characterized as synth-pop by Heather Phares of AllMusic.[15] Pitchfork's Mark Richardson said that this version was filled with digital noise and heavy distortion,[16] although Mark Pytlik wrote to the same website that it is "much tamer" when compared to the version with Robert Smith.[11] Cameron Scheetz of The A.V. Club wrote that Kath's "distant, distorted vocals" on that version provided a ghostly feel to the lyrics.[12] An NME writer said that "[t]here's an urgency to the keyboards that crescendos into a wall of sound that wraps around you like a blanket".[17]

Regarding the version with Smith, Scheetz said that it brought his emotive vocals to the forefront and enhanced the song's "throbbing" beat, adding that, in the chorus, "the already propulsive synths become unavoidably sweeping".[12] Beats per Minute staff said that this version's chorus has a heavier mix.[14] Pytlik declared that Kath's "storming synth squalls" provide the perfect contrast to Smith's "precarious and insecure delivery".[11] Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork said that this version has a stronger structure and powerful synths with an anthemic intensity.[13]

Critical reception

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Album version

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The version on the Crystal Castles album was generally considered unexciting.[18][14][11] Drowned in Sound's James Lawrenson said that it could be considered "filler" and "dropped as a B-side",[18] while Beats per Minute staff described it as "pretty pedestrian".[14] Emily Bick of The Quietus wrote that the song "shifts towards discomfort, disillusion, despair";[19] conversely, Justin Jacobs of Paste described it as "pretty" and that it "sounds the way twinkling Christmas lights look".[20] Pytlik of Pitchfork said that this track "barely seemed to make a dent" when Crystal Castles was released.[11]

Robert Smith version

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Pitchfork named the re-recording with Smith "Best New Track", with Richardson saying that Smith "elevates" Crystal Castles' first version, balancing nostalgia and the immediacy of life.[16] Fact wrote that it is "as satisfying as you could have hoped for".[21] Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal wrote "Smith's voice is loud and clear on the track, which has to be one of the catchiest things Crystal Castles have ever been associated with."[6] Larry Fitzmaurice wrote to the same website that the song "is massive, to the point where it produces chills" and "Once again, Kath and Glass spun aesthetic gold out of something that was decidedly not theirs, but the high-definition angst of 'Not in Love' nonetheless belongs to no one but themselves". He also said that this was one of the best performances by Smith until that time.[13]

Scheetz wrote that Smith's emotional vulnerability reveals "the tender longing[s] beneath Crystal Castles' cool, icy facade".[12] Brandon Stosuy of Stereogum said that the cover "sounds like the best thing the Cure put together in ages" while providing a new perspective on the "saturated, blasted goth-noise prettiness" of Crystal Castles.[22] Slant Magazine staff said that "[t]he crunchy production combined with Smith's familiar pangs is heart-wrenching and nothing short of blisteringly gorgeous".[23] Molly Beauchemin of Pitchfork wrote: "The song's explosive, life-affirming chorus segues into Kath's gentle interludes with triumphant precision, making it one of Crystal Castles' finest, most cathartic ballads".[24] A DIY writer described it as the most destined for festival stages and the purest of any Crystal Castles release, adding that it was one of the best covers of the 2010s and "a crazed re-creation of a song that looked to be dead and buried".[25]

Accolades

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"Not in Love" was named one of the best songs of 2010 by BBC Radio 6 Music, Beats per Minute, Fact, Pazz & Jop, Pitchfork, PopMatters, and Slant Magazine. In 2014, Pitchfork considered it among the best songs of the decade until then. In 2022, Rolling Stone named it one of the best gothic songs of all time.

Accolades for "Not in Love"
Publication List Rank Ref.
BBC Radio 6 Music Top 40 of 2010 (shortlist) — [26]
Beats per Minute The top 50 tracks of 2010 18 [14]
Fact The 100 best tracks of 2010 39 [21]
Pazz & Jop 2010 singles poll 22 [27]
Pitchfork The top 100 tracks of 2010 15 [11]
The 200 best tracks of the decade so far (2010–2014) 34 [13]
PopMatters The 60 best songs of 2010 47 [28]
Rolling Stone The 50 best goth songs of all time (2022) 20 [29]
Slant Magazine The 25 best singles of 2010 13 [23]

Track listing

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Digital single[30]

  1. "Not in Love" (radio version) – 3:49
  2. "Not in Love" (Robert Smith mix) – 3:49

Personnel

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Adapted from Spotify; applies to both the radio version and the Robert Smith mix.[30]

Charts

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Chart (2010) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Charts)[31] 90
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[32] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[33] 43
Canada Rock (Billboard)[34] 39
Denmark (Tracklisten)[35] 31
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[36] 18
Scotland (OCC)[37] 57
UK Singles (OCC)[38] 54
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[39] 24
US Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[40] 19

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[41] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Dombal, Ryan (April 13, 2010). "Crystal Castles announce second LP". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  2. ^ "Crystal Castles team up with the Cure's Robert Smith". Fact. October 25, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  3. ^ "Interview: A quick catch up with Crystal Castles". UnderTheRadar. May 17, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  4. ^ Dombal, Ryan (November 8, 2012). "Crystal Castles". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Adams, Gregory (October 24, 2010). "Crystal Castles recruit the Cure's Robert Smith for new single". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Dombal, Ryan (October 26, 2010). "Listen: Robert Smith sings with Crystal Castles". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Murray, Robin (October 26, 2010). "Crystal Castles meet Robert Smith". Clash. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Dombal, Ryan (January 14, 2011). "Video: Crystal Castles/Robert Smith: 'Not in Love'". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Thiessen, Brock (January 14, 2011). "Crystal Castles: 'Not in Love' (ft. Robert Smith) (video)". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Goodwyn, Tom (September 20, 2011). "Kasabian, The Strokes, The Vaccines for FIFA 12 soundtrack". NME. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "The top 100 tracks of 2010". Pitchfork. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Scheetz, Cameron (January 22, 2015). "The Cure's Robert Smith finds the heart beneath Crystal Castles' tough exterior". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d "The 200 best tracks of the decade so far (2010–2014)". Pitchfork. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on June 18, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e "The Top 50 Tracks of 2010". Beats per Minute. January 6, 2011. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  15. ^ Phares, Heather. "Crystal Castles (II) review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Richardson, Mark (October 26, 2010). "Crystal Castles: 'Not in Love' [ft. Robert Smith]". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  17. ^ "Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles – First listen". NME. April 19, 2010. Archived from the original on June 20, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Lawrenson, James (April 20, 2010). "First Listen: Crystal Castles : Crystal Castles". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  19. ^ Bick, Emily (April 13, 2010). "Crystal Castles: Exclusive track-by-track preview of Crystal Castles' new LP". The Quietus. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  20. ^ Jacobs, Justin (May 26, 2010). "Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles". Paste. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  21. ^ a b "The 100 best tracks of 2010". Fact. February 6, 2011. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  22. ^ Stosuy, Brandon (October 26, 2010). "Crystal Castles & Robert Smith – 'I'm Not In Love'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  23. ^ a b "The 25 best singles of 2010". Slant Magazine. December 13, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  24. ^ Beauchemin, Molly (October 9, 2014). "Goodbye to Crystal Castles: Their ten best songs". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  25. ^ "Crystal Castles: The defining moments of a chaotic band". DIY. October 9, 2014. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  26. ^ "Top 40 of 2010". BBC Radio 6 Music. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  27. ^ "New York Pazz and Jop Singles − All Votes (2010)". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on February 6, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
  28. ^ "The 60 best songs of 2010". PopMatters. April 16, 2020. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  29. ^ Harrima, Andi (October 31, 2022). "The 50 best goth songs of all time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  30. ^ a b "'Not in Love' – Single by Crystal Castles". Spotify. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  31. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 69.
  32. ^ "Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith – Not In Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  33. ^ "Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith – Not In Love" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  34. ^ "Crystal Castles Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  35. ^ "Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith – Not In Love". Tracklisten. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  36. ^ "Crystal Castles Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  37. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  38. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  39. ^ "Crystal Castles Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  40. ^ "Crystal Castles Chart History (Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  41. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Crystal Castles – Not in Love". Music Canada. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
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