Saving Light
| "Saving Light" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Gareth Emery and Standerwick featuring Haliene | ||||
| from the album Monstercat 030 – Finale | ||||
| Released | 30 January 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Gareth Emery singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
"Saving Light" is a song by English trance producers Gareth Emery and Ian Standerwick, featuring American electropop singer-songwriter Haliene. Canadian record label Monstercat released it on 30 January 2017 as part of an initiative organised by the label and Emery they called "Make Trance #1 Again". Their goal was to encourage fans purchase the song on Beatport to support the anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label and in so doing have it reach the top of the Beatport charts. The song achieved this goal within a week of its release, reaching number one on the Beatport overall charts on 16 February 2017—the first trance song to chart in five years.
"Saving Light" was voted the 2017 Tune of the Year on Armin van Buuren's radio show A State of Trance and won Best Original Track in the Trance category on the Best of 2017 voted by the /r/EDM subreddit. The song was featured on the compilation album Monstercat 030 – Finale, released 22 February 2017. It was later re-released by Armada Music for inclusion on Armin van Buuren's 2017 trance mix album, A State of Trance 2017.
Background and release
"Saving Light" was originally a demo track that Ian Standerwick and Gareth Emery had worked on. It was given to Emery's manager and sister Roxanne Emery, Haliene, Matthew Steeper, and Karra during a writing session. They wrote the lyrics in under an hour. After this, Emery and Standerwick tried different ideas for a musical style for six months before settling on a classic trance interpretation. 20 versions were produced and tested at Emery's DJ sets before the song was finished.[1]
The song debuted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in June 2016, during the Electric Daisy Carnival music festival and was released on 30 January 2017.[2] "Saving Light" was featured on Monstercat's thirtieth compilation album titled Monstercat 030 – Finale released on 22 February 2017. It was the first track on the album, which also includes 29 songs by various artists and two album mixes.[3]
The song is about standing up to bullying and helping victims in their time of need and giving them support—being their "saving light". All of the proceeds from "Saving Light" throughout the month of February were donated directly to the charity Ditch the Label, which supports victims of bullying and harassment. Emery was previously a victim himself.[4][5]
Remixes
On 17 August 2017, an acoustic rendition of "Saving Light" was released as a collaboration between the Saint James Music Academy Choir and Monstercat. Lennon Cihak of EDM.com praised Haliene's vocals, writing, "Haliene's vocals are truly what brings this piece to a completely new level. She powers through the entire piece, placing her emotions, feelings, and strength behind the lyrics." Writing about the overall video production, Cihak described it as complementing the "warm, subtle, and comforting emotion throughout, and they only scratch the surface at describing what this song does to one's emotional state."[6] Lisa-sun Nguyen of EDM Identity wrote that the acoustic rendition "retained much of the magic of the song but in a softer way and tugging at your heartstrings", noting "Haliene's vocals alongside the Saint James Music Academy worked harmoniously together to make a song that was already amazing into something beautiful."[7]
On 18 August 2017, a remix extended play of "Saving Light" was released, featuring six remixes by various artists, including a remix by American producer Notaker.[7][8] His remix was generally well received. Jim Babaoglu of EDM Sauce write, "Notakers ability to add a gritty digital feel to this song really let him display his own version of this already incredible track."[9] Dancing Astronaut's Robyn Dexter described Notaker's sound design and production as "second to none", saying he "continues to prove he's a force to be reckoned with in the dance music community."[10]
Critical reception
"Saving Light" received generally positive reviews. Writing for Billboard, Sergei Zarovnyi described the song as "full of emotion at every turn from Haliene's incredible vocals to the gripping production and lyrics that speak to the soul."[1] Steph Evans of EARMILK wrote that Gareth Emery and Standerwick "have followed a seemingly formulaic path in creating this track." She felt the song's melody made it "plain beautiful, emotional [with] a production that speaks to each level of talent involved."[11] The Nocturnal Times' Caroline O'Keefe wrote that "Gareth and Standerwick delivered a major hit", stating "the moving vocals of Haliene glide over Emery & Standerwick’s carefully tried and tested ensemble."[2] Abisola Oseni of EDM Identity described the song as "both melodic and uplifting", adding "this coupled with deep lyrics belted out by Haliene makes it an amazingly emotional track."[12] We Rave You's Fiorito Maniego praised the song, saying "the quality 'Saving Light' possesses certainly does not disappoint as it features a brilliant combination of Emery and Standerwick's incredible trance elements and Haliene's striking vocals."[5] The song won Best Original Track in the Trance category on the Best of 2017 by the /r/EDM subreddit with 198 participants.[13]
Make Trance #1 Again
"Saving Light" was released as part of "Make Trance #1 Again". This was an initiative organised by Emery and Monstercat that encouraged fans to buy the song on Beatport to support the anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label. It received 100% of the profits made from sales of the song in the month of February. They hoped it would reach the top of the Beatport charts.[14]
On 6 February 2017, "Saving Light" overtook tech house songs "Swagon" by Detlef and "Same Man" by Franky Rizardom to reach number one on the Beatport overall charts. It was the first trance song to enter the charts since "Anahera" by Gouryella in 2015, which reached only the number 10 position. In a Facebook post, American DJ and producer Christopher Lawrence criticised Gareth Emery for "waving the EDM flag for years", stating that trance does not need saving and that trance music "has been doing just fine without him". Lawrence has since deleted his post.[15][16]
A State of Trance album and Tune of the Year
On 1 November 2017, voting opened to select Armin van Buuren's 2017 Tune of the Year for his widely syndicated radio show A State of Trance.[17][18] On 19 December, he revealed the top 50 tracks, including "Saving Light", to comprise his 2017 trance mix album, A State of Trance 2017.[19] On 21 December 2017, Armin van Buuren concluded his four-hour radio show special, with the announcement that "Saving Light" had won Tune of the Year.[20] It was noted this marks the first time a non-trance label (Monstercat) has won the award.[21]
Music video
Production and release
Gareth Emery, Roxanne, Haliene, Matthew Steeper, and Karra conceived the idea of developing a music video dealing with the theme of bullying and harassment. They contacted Ditch the Label to help develop a storyline on the subject to make sure the depiction of bullying was as authentic as possible. They wished to showcase its negative and harmful effects which can lead to thoughts of suicide, and show how just one positive voice can save a life.[1][4][22] In an interview with Billboard, Emery commented on the production process of the music video, saying:
"Given the nature of the song, we didn't want a standard dance music video of Ian and I bouncing up and down at a festival. Fuck that. So we started thinking about making something that would provide hope for those dealing with adversity. Bullying became a natural theme after that, but Roxanne and I are in our 30s, so we knew our 'take' on the subject would likely miss the mark. So we got in touch with Ditch the Label, who has the world's largest anti-bullying hub and worked with their founder Liam Hackett to make sure the storyline portrayed this horrible issue in an authentic and sensitive way to the nature of bullying in today's youth. Lee Jones, the director, was the real star of the show though, taking a couple of pages of 'ideas' from us and turning it into such a tear jerker."
— Gareth Emery talking about the concept of the music video for "Saving Light".[1]
The music video was announced by Monstercat via their YouTube channel on 24 January 2017 and was released on 30 January 2017.[23]
Critical reception
The music video for "Saving Light" met with a mostly positive reception. Caroline O'Keefe of The Nocturnal Times wrote that it a "heartbreaking and emotional story of bullying."[2] Dance Music Northwest's Stanley Sutton called the music video "emotionally charged" saying it was a "tough watch" because of its subject matter.[24] Abisola Oseni of EDM Identity described the music video as "even more powerful" than the song, describing it as an "inspirational and deeply moving piece that shows this but also provides hope."[12]
Track listings
Saving Light (feat. Haliene)[25]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Saving Light" | 4:35 |
| Total length: | 4:35 | |
Saving Light (The Remixes) [feat. Haliene][26]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Saving Light" (NWYR Remix) | 2:59 |
| 2. | "Saving Light" (Notaker Remix) | 5:46 |
| 3. | "Saving Light" (INTERCOM Remix) | 4:59 |
| 4. | "Saving Light" (Hixxy Remix) | 4:35 |
| 5. | "Saving Light" (Ruben de Ronde remix) | 6:35 |
| 6. | "Saving Light" (Decoy! Remix) | 3:07 |
| Total length: | 28:01 | |
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Gareth Emery's interview with Alexa Shouneyia of Billboard:[1]
Management
- Roxanne Emery
Personnel
- Lead vocals – Kelly Sweet
- Songwriting – Roxanne Emery, Kelly Sweet, Matthew Steeper, and Karra
- Production – Ian Standerwick and Gareth Emery
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Version | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | 30 January 2017 | Digital download | "Saving Light" (feat. Haliene) | Monstercat | [1] |
| 22 February 2017 | Monstercat 030 – Finale | [3] | |||
| 18 August 2017 | "Saving Light" (The Remixes) [feat. Haliene] | [8] | |||
| 1 November 2017 | A State of Trance 2017 | Armada Music | [27] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Gareth Emery Takes on Bullying With 'Saving Light' Charity Release on Monstercat". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "Gareth Emery & Standerwick's Release "Saving Light" via Monstercat". The Nocturnal Times. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Monstercat Trumps Evil in 30th Compilation Album 'Finale' | Your EDM". Your EDM. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Landon Fleury (30 January 2017). "Monstercat Drops The Most Spine-Tingling, Emotionally Charged Song Of 2017 [LISTEN]". Your EDM. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Gareth Emery & Standerwick feat. HAILENE – Saving Light | We Rave You". We Rave You. 1 February 2017. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Gareth Emery & Standerwick Get Help From Haliene and the SJMA Choir for Acoustic Rendition of 'Saving Light'". EDM.com. 18 August 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Monstercat Releases Six Stunning "Saving Light" Remixes". EDM Identity. 20 August 2017. Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b (Mayank), Anjunastar (18 August 2017). "Gareth Emery's "Saving Light" Finally Gets a Massive Remix Pack". EDMTunes. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ GLU (18 August 2017). "Gareth Emery-Saving Light (Notaker Remix)". EDM Sauce. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Gareth Emery & Standerwick - Saving Light ft. Hailene (Notaker Remix) - Dancing Astronaut". Dancing Astronaut. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Monstercat surprises with Gareth Emery & Standerwick and the beautiful "Saving Light" - EARMILK". EARMILK. 1 February 2017. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Gareth Emery, Standerwick, & Haliene Release "Saving Light"! | EDM Identity". EDM Identity. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Reddit Reveals The Results for Best of EDM in 2017". Your EDM. 28 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Harmon, James (6 February 2017). "Gareth Emery's "Saving Light" Reaches #1 On Beatport - EDMTunes". EDMTunes. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Landon Fleury (6 February 2017). "Trance Claims #1 On Beatport For The First Time In Years [LISTEN]". Your EDM. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Gareth Emery's Make Trance #1 Again Campaign Elicits Backlash from Genre Diehards - djbios". djbios. 6 February 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "A State Of Trance - Vote for your Tune Of The Year 2017! | Armada Music - Home to the music you love". Armada Music. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Vote Now for the A State of Trance Tune of the Year 2017". EDMTunes. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ * "Armin van Buuren Shares "A State Of Trance Year Mix 2017"". The Nexus of All Things DJ. 15 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)- "Armin van Buuren Caps Off His Massive Year with 'A State Of Trance Year Mix 2017'". EDM Identity. 17 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "Armin van Buuren names his tracks of the year with mega two-hour ASOT mix: Listen". DJ Mag. 18 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - White, Nick (15 December 2017). "Armin van Buuren Wraps Up An Eventful 2017 With Yearly "A State Of Trance Year Mix"". EDM Sauce. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - "2017′s ASOT Top 50 is here!". A State of Trance. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)
- "Armin van Buuren Caps Off His Massive Year with 'A State Of Trance Year Mix 2017'". EDM Identity. 17 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- ^ "Armin van Buuren Names the ASOT Tune of the Year for 2017". EDMTunes. 21 December 2017. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "A Seriously Unexpected Label Took Home ASOT's Song of the Year". Your EDM. 21 December 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Vargas, Ulises (30 January 2017). "Gareth Emery and Standerwick Release Powerful Anti-Bullying Music Video". EDM Sauce. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Monstercat: Uncaged (24 January 2017), Gareth Emery & Standerwick present: Saving Light (feat. HALIENE) Announcement, archived from the original on 20 September 2017, retrieved 6 June 2018
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Help Gareth Emery and Standerwick Put A Stop To Bullying". Dance Music NW. 1 February 2017. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Saving Light (feat. HALIENE) - Single by Gareth Emery & Standerwick, 30 January 2017, archived from the original on 24 June 2018, retrieved 6 June 2018
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Saving Light (The Remixes) [feat. HALIENE] - EP by Gareth Emery & Standerwick, 18 August 2017, archived from the original on 24 June 2018, retrieved 6 June 2018
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ White, Nick (15 December 2017). "Armin van Buuren Wraps Up An Eventful 2017 With Yearly "A State Of Trance Year Mix"". EDM Sauce. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)