To the Moon and Back (Fever Ray song)
| "To the Moon and Back" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Fever Ray | ||||
| from the album Plunge | ||||
| Released | 20 October 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:37 (album version) 3:33 (single version) | |||
| Label | Rabid | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Karin Dreijer | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Fever Ray singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "To the Moon and Back" on YouTube | ||||
"To the Moon and Back" is a song by Fever Ray, an alias of Swedish musician Karin Dreijer. It was released on 20 October 2017 through Rabid Records as the lead single from their second studio album, Plunge (2017).
Release[edit]
The song was released on 20 October 2017 alongside its accompanying music video.[1] Prior to the release, Dreijer shared two teaser videos titled "Switch Seeks Same" and "A New Friend" on 16 and 18 October, respectively.[2][3]
Composition[edit]
"To the Moon and Back" is a synth-pop and electropop song,[4] with The A.V. Club noting that it is "way lighter than anything on her first album, landing closer to the chirping synth-pop of The Knife's Deep Cuts era than her self-titled debut's dark, frigid sound."[5] Similarly, Pitchfork said the song is "lighter and flirtier than anything we've heard from Fever Ray before," while later comparing it to the electronic musician Jlin.[6] Stereogum called it "a dark but surprisingly accessible synthpop song."[7] The track was written by Dreijer, with production being handled by them in collaboration with Peder Mannerfelt and Johannes Berglund.[8]
Critical reception[edit]
El Hunt of DIY wrote, "Turns out every last second of anticipation for new Fever Ray was worthwhile," continuing: "this is an ecstatic return in the fearless ilk of Peaches; liberated, queer, sexy expression at its very best."[9]
Music video[edit]
The music video for "To the Moon and Back" was directed by Martin Falck, and features "dark, neon-lit" colors. The video begins with Fever Ray awakening from a cryogenic sleep, while later being picked up by a group of "kinksters" who tie them up and rest a table on their shoulders, leading to a BDSM tea party, which includes a character urinating on them.[10][1]
In an interview with the Guardian, interviewer Michael Cragg explained that in the video "we witness the old Fever Ray character from the first album being shorn of her blond hair in favour of a bald head (actually a skull cap)," which Dreijer responded to by saying that they love the idea of "shaving your head and starting a new beginning." They later elaborated regarding the video: "There's so much BDSM role play in videos and it's super violent, so I wanted to have a role play that was fun. I said: 'Let's have a tea party and I want to be the table.'"[11]
Track listing[edit]
- Digital download[12]
- "To the Moon and Back" (Edit) – 3:33
- "To the Moon and Back" (Air Horn Edit) – 3:33
References[edit]
- ^ a b Thomas, Helen (20 October 2017). ""I want to run my fingers up your pussy": Listen to Fever Ray's first single in eight years". NME. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Yoo, Noah (16 October 2017). "Fever Ray Teases New Music With Intense Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Pearis, Bill (18 October 2017). "Fever Ray (Karin of The Knife) teasing "Plunge" with creepy videos". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Montgomery, Sarah (27 October 2017). "Fever Ray gives us her second album Plunge". The Fader. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ Gerardi, Matt (20 October 2017). "Fever Ray returns with a new song and a striking, NSFW music video". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Ravens, Chal (20 October 2017). ""To the Moon and Back" by Fever Ray Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Helman, Peter (20 October 2017). "Fever Ray – "To The Moon And Back" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Fever Ray Returns with New Album Plunge". Mute Records. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Hunt, El (20 October 2017). "Track Review: Fever Ray – To the Moon and Back". DIY. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (20 October 2017). "Fever Ray returns with new song and video, 'To the Moon and Back'". Fact. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
- ^ Cragg, Michael (18 November 2017). "Fever Ray: on pleasure, patriarchy and political revolution". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ^ "To the Moon and Back - Single by Fever Ray on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
