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Aliens (song)

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"Aliens"
Promotional single by Coldplay
from the EP Kaleidoscope
Released6 July 2017 (2017-07-06)
Length4:42
LabelParlophone
Composer(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"Aliens" on YouTube

"Aliens" (stylised as "A L I E N S") is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all four members of the band along with Brian Eno, who also handled the production with Markus Dravs and Rik Simpson.[1] The track was released on 6 July 2017 as a charity single and the third excerpt from Coldplay's thirteenth EP Kaleidoscope (2017) after "Hypnotised" and "All I Can Think About Is You".[2] The proceeds from the song were donated to the international NGO Migrant Offshore Aid Station, which rescues migrants and refugees in peril at sea in the Mediterranean.[3] On 21 July, a remix by Markus Dravs was released.[4]

Critical reception

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Jeremy Gordon of Spin magazine wrote: "The skittering percussion and swirling electronics that open up the song are completely dissimilar from the EDM components they picked up on the way to their regrettable successful Chainsmokers collaboration; the spooky tones permeating the spaces in between Martin's indefatigably earnest vocals sound like background music from an X-Files episode. The song is constantly in motion, as all the elements pulse and hum in the same direction. It's cluttered, but not distracting. Martin's lyrics, which address the refugee crisis, lean hard on the maudlin side, which is not an unfamiliar space for the band to be."[5] Althea Legaspi of Rolling Stone magazine wrote: "The song's pulsating rhythms emulate the racing heartbeat that might accompany searching for safety in a bleak world."[6] Bianca Gracie of Fuse called the melody "blippy" and "space-age".[7] Darragh Berry of Joe wrote that the song has "the distinctive Coldplay sound" and called the lyrics "deep" and "meaningful".[8]

Music video

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The animated lyrics video was directed by Diane Martel and Ben Jones. It shows a family running from explosions on the ground and foreboding creatures in the sky, as they escape from a planet.[6]

Track listing

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Digital download[9]
No.TitleLength
1."Aliens"4:42
Digital download – remix[4]
No.TitleLength
1."Aliens" (Markus Dravs remix)7:05

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal.[10]

  • Guy Berryman – composing, keyboard, bass guitar
  • Will Champion – composing, keyboard, drums, programming
  • Jonny Buckland – composing, electric guitar
  • Chris Martin – composing, vocals, keyboard, acoustic guitar
  • Brian Eno – composing, producing, background vocals, guitar
  • Markus Dravs – producing
  • Rik Simpson – producing, background vocals, mixing
  • Chris Allgood – mastering engineering
  • Emily Lazar – mastering engineering
  • Daniel Green – co-producing, engineering, keyboard
  • Anthony De Souza – engineering
  • John Metcalfe – engineering, strings, viola, violin, recording
  • Bill Rahko – engineering
  • Laurence Anslow – assisting
  • Aleks Von Korff – assisting
  • Tom Bailey – assisting
  • Owen Butcher – assisting
  • Andrew Rugg – assistant engineering
  • Robin Baynton – assistant engineering
  • Davide Rossi – cello

Charts

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Chart (2017) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[11] 87
Netherlands (Dutch Single Tip Chart)[12] 28
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[13] 17

References

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  1. ^ "Coldplay Share A L I E N S Song & Lyric Video, Proceeds Will Aid Migrants". Billboard. 6 July 2017. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  2. ^ Jones, Damian (7 July 2017). "Watch Coldplay's crazy space video for Brian Eno produced track 'A L I E N S'". NME. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  3. ^ Anchorman (6 July 2017). "New song A L I E N S available now!". coldplay.com. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b "A L I E N S (Markus Dravs Remix) – Single by Coldplay". United Kingdom: iTunes Store. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  5. ^ Gordon, Jeremy (7 July 2017). "Coldplay's "A L I E N S" Is a Good Brian Eno Song". Spin. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  6. ^ a b Legaspi, Althea (6 July 2017). "See Coldplay's Pulsating, Animated Lyric Video for 'Aliens'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  7. ^ Gracie, Bianca (7 July 2017). "Coldplay Share Vibrant 'Aliens' Animated Lyric Video: Watchfuse". Fuse. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  8. ^ Berry, Darragh (7 July 2017). "WATCH: Coldplay release video for brand new single 'Aliens' ahead of Irish concert". Joe. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  9. ^ "Coldplay: A L I E N S". Google Play. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  10. ^ "A L I E N S / Coldplay TIDAL". Tidal. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Le Top de La Semaine: Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 28, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Netherlands Single Tip Chart – 29 July 2017" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Coldplay Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
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