| “ | Oh Stylo go for blossom in your soul | „ |
Stylo is the fifth track and first single on Gorillaz' 2010 album Plastic Beach. It features guest vocals by Mos Def and Bobby Womack.
Background Information
Band member Murdoc Niccals stated the following about "Stylo" in a track-by-track commentary:
| “ | This is a new sound for Gorillaz. An electro-ish 'crack funk' sound, with a little bit of politics and a lot of soul going down. With 'Stylo', I wanted the music to feel euphoric, whilst still putting across how precarious our tightly packed situation is now, worldwide. Where we’re at as a species on this overpopulated planet ("Comin' up to the Overload. Overload. Overload").
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A demo form of the track, then just a rough beat, was premiered on the Zane Lowe show on 14 January 2009, along with Electric Shock and Broken.
About a week before the official premiere, Parlophone president Miles Leonard described the song as "a dark, twisted track that sounds like the 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack on MDMA".
The single was leaked onto the internet on 20 January 2010. Murdoc stated on his Twitter account, "A leak! A leak! Plastic Beach has sprung a leak! One of those Russian pirates has put a bullet hole on my island! My single's leaked! 'STYLO!'" He later added, "If anyone's going to leak my single, it'll be me!"
The song's official premiere was on NME Radio that same day, shortly followed by its addition onto the Gorillaz official website. Gorillaz manager Chris Morrison stated about the leak, "I just think that illegal downloading and pirating could be stopped, without a doubt. We have to take the gloves off and say it has to be stopped."
On 26 January 2010, "Stylo" was released for digital download from iTunes.
The song was a hit in Japan, but generally underperformed elsewhere. Despite excellent reviews, it did not chart in the top 100 in the UK, and though it reached the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, it failed to enter the main US Hot Hundred chart.
Controversy
Reggae singer Eddy GrantW has claimed that this song bears similarities to his 1983 song "Time WarpW" stating that "I am outraged that the Gorillaz have infringed the copyright of my song Time Warp, claiming their song Stylo to be an original composition" and is currently consulting lawyers.
The talk of suit and acknowledgment began on March 15th, 2010.
As of March 27th, no one of Gorillaz camp has been given a lawsuit or contacted. EMI, that distributes music by both groups, has stated it will be handled between the two privately. Since then, no news of the lawsuit have been given out to the public.
Music Video
- Main Article: Stylo (Video)
The music video for Stylo premiered on the Gorillaz YouTube channel on 26 January 2010. It was directed by Jamie Hewlett and Pete Candeland and was produced by Zombie Flesh Eaters with animation by Passion Pictures and live action by HSI Productions.
The music video depicts a fast-paced car chase on a Californian desert with Murdoc, 2-D, and a freshly shot Cyborg Noodle speeding down the road in a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro dubbed "Stylo". They get pursued by a police officer (played by Jason Nott) and later Bruce Willis. The video ends with the Stylo car running off the side of the road and into the ocean. The car, submerged underwater, transforms into a shark-like submarine and swims out of view, leading directly into the beginning of the On Melancholy Hill music video.
Lyrics
[Mos Def]
Love electricity shockwave central
Power on the motherboard yes
Push up to overload
legendary heavy glow
Sunshine thunder-roll keep this on
Yes the lantern burns firm and easy
And broadcast so raw and neatly
Thunder-roll sunshine work it out
[2D]
Overload, overload, overload
Coming on to the
Overload, overload, overload
Coming on to the
Overload, overload, overload
Coming on to the
Overload, overload, overload
Coming on to the
Oh Stylo go for blossom in your soul
When you know your heart is light
Electric is the love
When the mako flies (it's the giant fish)
Up from the bottom in your eyes (as it leaps from the stream)
Then I'll know the twilight skies (blood curdles, it's death throw)
Are not so broken hearted (hot from the end of the line)
[Bobby Womack]
If it's love, it's electric
It'll be flowing on the streets
Night after night
Just to get through the week
Sometimes it's hard
Right now
[2D]
Sing yourself out of depression
Rise above all recession
If I know your heart
Electric is the love
[Womack, 2D]
There's only one way (overload, overload, overload)
Let it play a little while longer (coming on to the overload, overload, overload)
It's got a way of passing through man and woman (coming on to the overload, overload)
In another world (overload, coming on to the)
In another world in the universe (overload, overload, overload, coming on to the)
Right now
Here's what we've got to do
If it's love, it's electric (overload, overload, overload, coming on to the)
It'll be flowing on the streets (overload, overload, overload, coming on to the)
Night after night (overload, overload, overload, coming on to the)
Just to get through the week (overload, overload, overload)
Sometimes it's hard (coming on to the)
That's what I'm talking about
[Mos Def]
Love electricity shockwave central
Power on the motherboard yes
Push up to overload
legendary heavy glow
Sunshine thunder-roll keep this on
Yes the lantern burns firm and easy
And broadcast so raw and neatly
Thunder-roll sunshine work it out
[Womack]
Right now[1]
Track listing
- Promotional CD single:
- Stylo (Radio Edit) – 3:50
- Stylo (Album Version) – 4:30
- Stylo (Instrumental) – 4:30
- Promotional CD single - Remixes:
- Stylo (Labrinth Remix ft. Tinie Tempah) – 4:15
- Stylo (Alex Metric Remix) – 6:14
- Stylo (DJ Kofi Remix) – 3:44
- Stylo (Chiddy Bang Remix) – 3:38
Release dates and chart positions
- US : 26/01/10 – highest chart position : 24 (Billboard Alternative Songs chart)
- EUROPE MAINLAND: 26/01/10 - highest chart position: 5
- JAPAN : ??? - highest chart position : 8
Videos
Gallery
Trivia
Cyborg Noodle failing as a result of a bullet wound obtained before the start of the video.
- On the singles cover art, Cyborg Noodle is striking a pose and appears to be completely oblivious of the bullet hole that is gaping from her forehead. In the video this bullet wound becomes a problem as she begins leaking what would appear to be oil, before completely shutting down.
- "Stylo" was featured in Activision's DJ Hero 2
- The working title for this song and its demo's name was "Binge".
References
- ↑ "Plastic Beach (Deluxe Version)" iTunes LP Music & Lyrics feature