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Supercut (song)

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This article is about the Lorde song. For the definition, see Supercut.

"Supercut"
Song by Lorde
from the album Melodrama
Studio
Genre
Length4:38
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Melodrama track listing
12 tracks
  1. "Green Light"
  2. "Sober"
  3. "Homemade Dynamite"
  4. "The Louvre"
  5. "Liability"
  6. "Hard Feelings/Loveless"
  7. "Sober II (Melodrama)"
  8. "Writer in the Dark"
  9. "Supercut"
  10. "Liability (Reprise)"
  11. "Perfect Places"
Japan bonus track
  2. "Green Light" (Chromeo remix)
Spotify bonus track
  2. "Homemade Dynamite" (Remix)

"Supercut" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde from her second album, Melodrama (2017). Lorde co-wrote the track with Jack Antonoff, both of whom also co-produced it with Joel Little, with additional production from Frank Dukes, Jean-Benoît Dunckel and Malay. It is a synth-pop, electropop, electronic, and disco song that draws influence from other genres, such as dance, electro house, electronica and new wave music. The lyrics are about Lorde reviewing her most joyful memories from a previous relationship and realising the illusion is no longer present.

Music critics praised the song, with many comparing its production to the works of American musician Bruce Springsteen and Swedish singer Robyn. The track's name, supercut, is a word coined by Andy Baio and is defined as a compilation of short video clips of the same type of action. "Supercut" was included in the soundtrack of the 2019 Netflix film Someone Great. It was one of five songs used as part of a re-imagined Vevo series at the Electric Lady Studios, where she recorded most of her album. "Supercut" was also part of the set list for the Melodrama World Tour (2017–2018).

Background

[edit]

In an interview with The Spinoff, Lorde recalled leaving a party late at night and driving around Ponsonby Road in Auckland in a taxi listening to Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland.[1] While driving, she heard music playing from nearby bars. Lorde wanted to feel as if one was "dancing through the walls of a party".[1] The singer wrote the track with this concept in mind when she arrived to the United States.[1] After recording "Supercut", she would play it as she left The Spotted Pig, a gastro pub in the West Village area of Lower Manhattan, after midnight.[1] Despite not being credited as a recording location on the song's liner notes, the singer recorded the track at Jungle City. During takes, Lorde placed a microphone in the corner of the studio, stood 3 m (10 ft) away from it, and recorded her verses.[1] She compared the end result to an answering machine or voice note. The pair constructed most of the track using drums and then "filled in the blanks" with a piano. Lorde called "Supercut" a "sister song" to "Ribs" from her 2013 debut album Pure Heroine.[1]

Recording and composition

[edit]
Jack Antonoff (pictured in 2012) co-wrote and co-produced "Supercut".

Lorde recorded "Supercut" in three locations around the United States. She began recording at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York City, with assistance from Barry McCready and Jack Antonoff. Antonoff also worked with Lorde at Rough Customer Studio in Brooklyn Heights, New York. Recording concluded at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, with assistance from Ben Sedano and Greg Eliason. Serban Ghenea mixed the song at MixStar Studios with assistance from engineer John Hanes. The track was mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound in New York. Other personnel include Joel Little, as well as Frank Dukes, Jean-Benoît Dunckel, Malay, who provided additional production to the song.[2]

"Supercut" is composed in the key of C major with a tempo of 124 beats per minute. Lorde's vocals span a range of A3 to E5 and its chord progression follows a basic sequence of C–Fsus2–Am-F.[3] It is a synth-pop, electropop, electronic, and disco song,[4] which has influences of other genres such as dance,[5] electro house,[6] electronica,[7] and new wave music.[8] The track's lyrics recall Lorde's highlights from a previous relationship.[9] "Supercut" features an interpolation of the piano melody from her 2017 single, "Green Light".[10] According to Ava Muir of Exclaim!, the track is driven by a "hauntingly infectious pulse".[11] In an analysis of the album, Lindsay Zoladz from The Ringer said the song is associated in popular culture with the "relationship’s 'perfect' moments captured in cropped, filtered Instagrams that we flick through after they [are] over".[12]

Reception

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"Supercut" received critical acclaim from music critics, with many calling it a stand-out track on Melodrama.[13] The track received comparisons to the works of American musician Bruce Springsteen and Swedish singer Robyn.[14][4] Mike Neid from Idolator wrote that the track delivered "one of the most gracefully crafted lyrics on the album", and called it a "joyful release that offers a sliver of hope for new beginnings".[15] Writing for The Independent, Roisin O'Connor praised the song's unusual "quirks" in its production, which help "expose the inner workings of her music". O'Connor also said Lorde "respects pop for what it is and what it is capable of".[16] Chris Willman of Variety called it the album's "mini masterpiece".[10]

The track appeared in several music critics' year-end lists. Stereogum placed the song at number two on their year-end list, calling the lyrics "genius, the music a propulsive mirage" and the overall effect "overwhelming and tingly".[17] Lindsay Zoladz from The Ringer also placed the song at number two on her list, describing it as "a precise distillation of the ways the internet shapes and warps how we experience life".[18] NME included "Supercut" at number 29 on their year-end list,[19] while Vulture ranked it at number four on their year-end list. Dee Lockett from the publication stated that the track was a "misshapen puzzle whose beauty is greater for its flaws."[20] Andy Baio, the person who coined the term, praised Lorde for using it in her song.[21] "Supercut" was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for exceeding 35,000 shipments.[22]

Billboard named "Supercut" as the third greatest breakup song of all time,[23] while Insider ranked the song at number 28 on their list of the 50 Best Breakup Songs of the 21st Century.[24]

Live performances and other usage

[edit]

Lorde first performed "Supercut", along with two other tracks, at the Bowery Auditorium in New York City on the night of the singer's Melodrama album release party.[25] She also performed the track on 1Live, which was described as "breathtaking" and emotional.[26] "Supercut" was one of five songs Lorde performed as part of a re-imagined Vevo series at the Electric Lady Studios where she recorded most of her album.[27] For the Melodrama World Tour (2017–18), Lorde performed "Supercut" after her last costume change and a video interlude.[28] It was the first track she performed from the prelude of the show's third and final segment, which was composed of five songs.[29]

Norwegian pop punk band Sløtface covered the song at Australian radio station Triple J; Consequence of Sound described the cover as "cleaned up from the dance floor while forfeiting none of its emotional core". Sløtface's cover replaces the electronics of the production with a "reverberating guitar".[30] Lorde responded to the group's cover, calling it "rad".[31] It was included in the official soundtrack for the video game FIFA 18; NME described the track as "the one" and called it one of the soundtrack's "killer tunes".[32] The song was also featured in the soundtrack for the 2019 Netflix film Someone Great; director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that "Supercut" was a source of inspiration while developing the film's screenplay. As a result, she wrote the song into the film's script before "any of the people in the movie existed".[33] "Supercut" is used in "W.O.M.B.", the sixth episode in the third season of You.[34]

El-P remix

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"Supercut" (El-P remix)
Remix by Lorde featuring Run the Jewels
Released28 February 2018
GenreTrip hop
Length3:36
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)El-P

Lorde posted a tweet on 27 February 2018 that a "small surprise" would be sent to fans who subscribed to her newsletter. The following day, a remix of the song produced by El-P of the hip hop group Run the Jewels, was released via email. Talking about the remix, Lorde said, "I love it. So much. My little nerd heart is full."[35] Initially made available for free download to commemorate the arrival of her North American tour,[36] the remix was released to streaming services worldwide on 9 March 2018.[37]

The El-P remix of "Supercut" was described as a trip hop track[38] with bass and synthesiser production.[39] It features vocals from Lorde and rap verses from Killer Mike and El-P that deliver observations on society and the portrayal of enemies.[40] It received positive reviews from music critics, with some praising the duo for adding a darker melody to the original upbeat composition.[41] Stereogum writer Claymore Tully noted that the remix's slower tempo turned the "fairly upbeat, dance-ready track" into a "sludgy slow-burner".[42] Eric Skelton of Pigeons and Planes lauded Mike and El-P's "high-energy" verses, stating that the remix "was made with large arenas in mind."[36] It charted at number nine on the New Zealand Heatseekers chart.[43]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Melodrama.[44]

Recording and management

Personnel

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] Gold 35,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Oliver, Henry (19 June 2017). "The Spinoff Exclusive: Lorde explains the backstory behind every song on her new album". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. ^ Melodrama (CD). Lorde. United States: Lava/Republic Records. 2017. B0026615-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ "Lorde "Supercut" Sheet Music in C Major (transposable)". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (15 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama". Slant. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
    Petridis, Alexis (16 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama review – a cocky challenge to her pop rivals". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
    Wood, Michael (16 June 2017). "Lorde is stronger than she seems on 'Melodrama'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
    Myers, Owen (16 June 2017). "In a World of Playlists, Lorde's Melodrama Commands Your Attention". The Fader. Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  5. ^ Kot, Greg (16 June 2017). "Review: Lorde and the 'Melodrama' of innocence lost". The Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
    G. Damas, Aline (30 June 2017). "Lorde's Highly-Anticipated 'Melodrama' Encapsulates the Pangs of Love". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  6. ^ Reily, Emily (26 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama Review". Paste. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  7. ^ Marvilli, Joe (21 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama - Music Review". No Ripcord. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  8. ^ Zaleski, Annie (22 June 2017). "Album review: Lorde's 'Melodrama' sounds maddeningly shapeless". Las Vegas Weekly. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  9. ^ Stubbs, Dan (16 June 2017). "Lorde – 'Melodrama' Album Review". NME. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  10. ^ a b Willman, Chris (15 June 2017). "Album Review: Lorde Acts Her Age on 'Melodrama'". Variety. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  11. ^ Muir, Ava (19 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. ^ Zoladz, Linsday (19 June 2017). "Lorde Works in Mysterious Ways". The Ringer. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  13. ^ Guan, Frank (16 June 2017). "Here's Why Lorde's 'Supercut' Is Melodrama's Best Track". Vulture. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  14. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (19 June 2017). "Lorde: Melodrama (Republic/Lava) Review". Under the Radar. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  15. ^ Neid, Mike (16 June 2017). "Lorde's 'Melodrama': Album Review". Idolator. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  16. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (16 June 2017). "Lorde, Melodrama, album review: Unconventional pop that still bangs". The Independent. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  17. ^ DeVille, Chris (14 December 2017). "The Top 40 Pop Songs of 2017". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  18. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (4 December 2017). "The Best Songs of 2017". The Ringer. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  19. ^ NME Staff (27 November 2017). "NME's Tracks of the Year 2017". NME. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  20. ^ Guan, Frank; Hockley-Smith, Sam; Lockett, Lee (5 December 2017). "The 10 Best Songs of 2017". Vulture. New York Magazine. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  21. ^ Tiffany, Kaitlyn (16 June 2017). "Andy Baio on sort of, kind of inspiring a Lorde song". The Verge. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  22. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  23. ^ Hannah, Dailey (14 February 2023). "Top 55 Breakup Songs of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  24. ^ Callie, Ahlgrim (14 February 2022). "The 50 best breakup songs of the 21st century, ranked". Insider. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  25. ^ Helman, Peter (17 June 2017). "Watch Lorde Sing "The Louvre," "Supercut," and "Writer in the Dark" Live for the First Time in NYC". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  26. ^ Miller, Jordan (3 July 2017). "Lorde's Performance of "Supercut" on 1Live Is Breathtaking". Breathe the Heavy. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  27. ^ Legaspi, Althea (16 August 2017). "See Lorde's New Videos for Six Reimagined 'Melodrama' Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  28. ^ Wright, Daniel (28 September 2017). "Lorde at Alexandra Palace, London, review: Artist performs her clever, danceable pop at a perfect live show". The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  29. ^ Goggins, Joe (27 September 2017). "Broadcast the Boom: Lorde, Live in Manchester". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
    Tunmore, Ollie (2 October 2017). "Review: Lorde brings Melodrama World Tour to the Brighton Centre". Brighton & Hove Independent. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  30. ^ Kaye, Ben (8 September 2017). "Sløtface cover Lorde's "Supercut" for triple j's Like a Version: Watch". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  31. ^ Trendell, Andrew (9 September 2017). "Lorde responds to Sløtface's 'rad' cover of 'Supercut'". NME. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  32. ^ Bartleet, Larry (14 September 2017). "FIFA 18: 10 killer tunes on the soundtrack". NME. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  33. ^ X. Wang, Amy (23 April 2019). "Why 'Someone Great' Cast a Lorde Song Before Gina Rodriguez or Lakeith Stanfield". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  34. ^ Goldstein, Jessica (16 October 2021). "You Recap: Brotherly Love". Vulture. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  35. ^ Strauss, Matthew (28 February 2018). "Lorde and Run the Jewels Team for New "Supercut" Remix: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  36. ^ a b Skelton, Eric (28 February 2018). "Run The Jewels Give Lorde's "Supercut" a Thundering Facelift". Pigeons and Planes. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  37. ^ "Supercut (El-P Remix) - Single by Lorde". Spotify. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  38. ^ Nembhard, Candice (1 March 2018). "Lorde & Run the Jewels Team Up on Stormy "Supercut" Remix". Highsnobiety. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  39. ^ Roth, Madeline (28 February 2018). "Lorde's 'Nerd Heart Is Full' Thanks to Run the Jewels's Moody 'Supercut' Remix". MTV. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  40. ^ India, Lindsey (5 March 2018). "Run the Jewels Remix Lorde's Song "Supercut"". XXL. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  41. ^ Manno, Lizzie (1 March 2018). "Listen to Run The Jewels' Remix of Lorde's "Supercut"". Paste. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
    "Lorde teams up with Run The Jewels for new 'Supecut' remix". DIY. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  42. ^ Tully Claymore, Gabriela (28 February 2018). "Lorde – "Supercut (El-P Remix)" (Feat. Run The Jewels)". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  43. ^ a b "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  44. ^ Melodrama (CD). Lorde. United States: Lava/Republic Records. 2017. B0026615-02.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  45. ^ "British single certifications – Lorde – Supercut". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
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