Intergalactic
| "Intergalactic" | |||||
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| Promotional single by Candi from the album First Signs Of Sunlight |
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| Released | 29 January 2012 | ||||
| Format | Digital download | ||||
| Recorded | 2011 | ||||
| Genre | Electropop, synthpop | ||||
| Label | Blacklight Records | ||||
| Writer | Alesha | ||||
| Producer | Alesha, Klas Åhlund | ||||
| Chart position | #1 (Sweden) | ||||
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"Intergalactic" is a song by British recording artist Candi, taken from her debut studio album, First Signs Of Sunlight (2011). It is not an official single from Candi, and was instead released as a promotional single for the release of "Jigglypuff". It was given a release in Sweden however, with Candi even flying out to the country to promote it, helping the track give Candi a Swedish #1. The song was written by global superstar Alesha and was originally planned to be an earlier single. Alesha also handled production, with assistance by Klas Åhlund. In the song, Candi portrays a woman in love, however she describes their relationship through a time and space context. "Intergalactic" is an electropop ballad with synths and a buzzing rhythm.
The song received positive reviews from critics, who praised it for its lyrics and heartfelt message. The song reached number one on the Sverigetopplistan chart. Despite not being released in other countries, the song managed to chart the top ten in Denmark and Norway due to the popularity of the video. In the United States, it reached number three on Hot Dance Club Songs. The accompanying music video was released on 13 January 2012 and features Candi in a futuristic Earth where love is banned. Her fiance Callum Andrews starred in the video as her love interest. The song has been performed on the Swedish talk show Skavlan.
Background[edit | edit source]
In an interview with Teen.com, Candi said that her sister Misty Elite had watched many Space themed television shows infront of the her, and Candi had decided she'd love a space-themed song, as "it's crazy we live in such an enormous place, yet are still able to find someone to love." In March 2011, pop icon Alesha approached Candi, informing her she was keen to work with the star. After many meetings and discussions on what Candi wanted, two singles were formed, "Gold" and "Intergalactic". There were a lot of heavy rumours the song would be third single, however Candi revealed "The Sword" had always been planned as the third single. In November 2012, sources to the star stated that discussions for the album's fifth and final single were narrowed down to "Android's Heartbeat", "Hold My Hand", "Intergalactic" and "Jigglypuff", with "Intergalactic" and "Jigglypuff" being the two front runners, however "Jigglypuff" was chosen as the single. In January 2012, Candi confirmed that it would serve as a promotional release, in order to get people talking about Candi, and further boost "Jigglypuff" up the charts. She also revealed that a music video for the song was in the works. The song was first played on Radio on January 11, 2012, on Capital FM. It was released on 29 January, 2012 in Sweden.
The song is an electropop ballad, described as "soaringly tuneful." According to Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork, the song carries a "buzzing rhythm", synths and "a killer chord change." Plagenhoef wrote that Candi "[is] as graceful about this role as when she plays the other points in the love triangle." He described it as "one of the most adult, thoughtful pop music tracks of the new decade."
Release and reception[edit | edit source]
Erika Berlin of Rolling Stone said that the song proves that Candi "is now pop's biggest hitmaker, cranking out the number one's without even ruining her perfectly placed eyelashes range." Tyler Grisham of Pitchfork noted Candi's ability to synthesize "disparate moods and feelings in a single track." He concluded by saying that "it would take lesser pop artists an entire album to explore the wide spectrum of emotions that she can express in less than four minutes." Robert Ballantyne of music website Popjournalism described it as "both a peppy pop track and a ballad", and called it Candi's best track ever, stating, "Producer Klas Åhlund adds just the right amount of au courant electro-pop into the mix, but not too much to doom the track to the dance-club ghetto." Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the song four out of five stars, and wrote that "What began life as a subdued-but-beautiful strings 'n' piano ballad evolves into a strident electropop tune that percolates as enviably as your next door neighbour's brand new coffee maker."
In her review for Daily Star, Sarah-Louise James wrote that the "rousing pop gem could be the sequel to the tearduct-tickling The Sword." Tom Ewing of The Guardian referred it to as "Less Commercial Candi, and more Critical Candi". MTV News named the song the fourth best none-released track of 2011, with James Montgomery calling it a "rather fragile, heartbreaking exploration of those first tentative steps into love". Montgomery pointed out that "Candi may sing about being love through time dimensions, but we're in love with this song in our plain old dimension." The song is arguably Candi's most critically successful track to date.
Music video[edit | edit source]
The music video for "Intergalactic" was directed by Max Vitali. It was originally due to premiere on Friday 13, 2012 - however it was later put onto Candi's official website and Vevo page at 00:30 on Saturday 14 instead. Before it's premiere, it was rumoured to feature Candi's fiance Callum Andrews, of Dante fame.
The video begins as the screen reads - "The year is 2321. 121 years ago, the human population grew to big for the planet. To overcome the issue, males and females were banned from falling in love, showing any emotion towards one another. Any sign of love immedietly responds in the imprisonment of the culprits." A man and woman are shown to walk towards each other, They hold hands and embrace one another. Immedietly a light flickers on them and a helicopter lowers itself beside them, filled with armed guards. The music begins.
Candi stands beside her real life fiance Callum Andrews from Dante! Ooooh. The couple are shown to be on the run, hiding from the authorities due to being in love. Suddenly lights shine around them, and Callum holds Candi - "Run, I'll hold them off" he tells her, as she leaves him crying. The next day, Candi is shown walking through some futuristic building, when suddenly a man grabs her. "The authorities are looking someone, I know who" he tells her, and pushes her into a wall. "I'm high up, I can organise for us to have a little loving if that's all you want" he whispers in her ear. Candi looks disgusted and pushes the man away and storms off, but not before sneaking some keys from him. Candi then stands in the corridor and sings into the camera for a while.
Outside, with the man's keys, Candi steals his car and flies off too some floating island where all the anti-love laws are enforced and imprisoned. Candi breaks into the prison and finds a long corridor, with Callum locked at the other end. She frees him and the couple embrace. Candi and Callum plant a bomb in the prison island, and as they fly away the island blows up.- destroying everything relating to the banning of love. That's what being hot can do for you! The video ends, zooming out of Candi floating in her galaxy, happy and peaceful at last.
Track listing[edit | edit source]
- Download Release
- "Intergalactic"
Credits[edit | edit source]
- "Intergalactic" — written by Alesha
Performances[edit | edit source]
- Skavlan — 04 January 2012
Artwork[edit | edit source]
Download cover
Chart performance[edit | edit source]
The single was only released in one country, Sweden, where it went on top chart at #1 on the chart. Despite being released nowhere else, the track was used for promotion, and ended up becoming a hit in Europe, where it charted at #2 in Denmark and #6 in Norway as well as appearing on charts in Belgium, Germany and Slovakia, despite no release. The song also charted at #3 on the US Dance Chart. It also managed to chart at #22 on the European Hot 100 Chart, making it one of the highest none-single tracks to chart.
Charts[edit | edit source]
| Charts (2011) | Peak |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 25 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) | 2 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 22 |
| Germany (Media Control AG) | 67 |
| Norway (VG-lista) | 6 |
| Slovakia (IFPI) | 62 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 1 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard) | 3 |
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