Archangel

Album: Untrue (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • One of Burial's most well-known and critically acclaimed productions, "Archangel" features a dark, warm sub bass, and his trademark skipped garage-influenced beats, which fade in and out under layers of crackle.
  • The track features carefully pitch-shifted samples of Ray J's "One Wish," turning single vocal lines into entire melodic phrases. It is this incredible attention to detail with vocal sampling that set Burial's album Untrue apart from its predecessor.
  • The main string sample is taken from the soundtrack for the video game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Burial (William Bevan) often borrowed sounds from this game, including the sound of bullet shells falling to the ground, heard in multiple tracks.
  • The pitched-up "oh no"s towards the end of the track are from a Christina Aguilera a cappella performance on Saturday Night Live.
  • Despite its use of Garage beats, "Archangel" is regarded as dubstep (or even "post-pubstep" to some) for its dark, head-down mood and emphasis on atmosphere over melody.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Joe Jackson

Joe JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Joe talks about the challenges of of making a Duke Ellington tribute album, and tells the stories behind some of his hits.