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Setting Sun (The Chemical Brothers song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Setting Sun
| cover = The Chemical Brothers - Setting Sun single cover.png
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Chemical Brothers
| album = Dig Your Own Hole
| B-side = Buzz Tracks
| released =
| recorded =
| studio = Orinoco (South London, England)
| genre =
| length = 5:23
| label =
| writer =
| producer = The Chemical Brothers
| chronology = The Chemical Brothers
| prev_title = Life Is Sweet
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = Where Do I Begin
| next_year = 1997
| misc =
}}
"'Setting Sun'" is a song by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers featuring vocals from Noel Gallagher of Britpop band Oasis, who also co-wrote the track with duo members Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. He is not mentioned on the front cover, only in the credit list. It was released as a single on 30 September 1996 from the Chemical Brothers' second album, 'Dig Your Own Hole' (1997). Despite receiving little airplay in the United Kingdom, it sold 99,000 copies during its first week of release and debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart in October 1996.
Composition
Gallagher used an old Oasis song, "Comin' on Strong", as the basis for the lyrics to "Setting Sun". Both songs are heavily influenced by the Beatles' 'Revolver' track "Tomorrow Never Knows".
Critical reception
Caroline Sullivan from 'The Guardian' rated the song five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. She wrote, "The Brothers' disjointed breakbeats, sirens and trapped-in-a-lift ambiance are glorious foils for Gallagher, who seems to be having an out-of-body experience. It's hallucinatory in the manner of one of Led Zeppelin's heaviest moments, where sonic firepower and grubby sexiness induced sensory overload."Sullivan, Caroline (4 October 1996). "Music: Single of the week - Enter two more brothers for Noel / Which Gallagher would you expect to team up with a techno duo?". 'The Guardian'. In 2020, 'The Guardian' called "Setting Sun", alongside Underworld's "Born Slippy .NUXX", the "most experimental and sonically extreme hit [single] of the 90s" and ranked it number 49 on their list of "The 100 Greatest UK No 1 Singles". Sally Stratton from 'Music & Media' noted its "wails and explosions". 'Pitchfork' ranked it number 43 in their list of the "Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s".
Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Dom and Nic. It was shot on location at the abandoned Crystal Palace Subway station and features artist Lexi Strauss. In the video, it shows the prospect of a rave party through the eyes of a bewildered young woman. It can be seen the woman chasing a personification of her nightmare through the party. The video mixes a disturbing psychological confusion with moments of humoristic imagination (for example, the woman sees police dancing breakdance). The Chemical Brothers briefly appear, leaving the party with their record cases.
Track listings
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the 'Dig Your Own Hole' album booklet.
'Studios'
* Recorded at Orinoco Studios (South London, England)
* Mastered at The Exchange (London, England)
'Personnel'
* The Chemical Brothers production
** Tom Rowlands writing
** Ed Simons writing
* Noel Gallagher writing, vocals
* Jon Dee engineering
* Mike Marsh mastering
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
Category:1996 songs
Category:1996 singles
Category:Astralwerks singles
Category:The Chemical Brothers songs
Category:Noel Gallagher songs
Category:Songs written by Ed Simons
Category:Songs written by Noel Gallagher
Category:Songs written by Tom Rowlands
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
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