"I Love London" is the second single by English electronic band Crystal Fighters from their album Star of Love. The single was released on 1 December 2009 through Zirkulo records, to mixed reviews.
| "I Love London" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Crystal Fighters | ||||
| from the album Star of Love | ||||
| Released | 1 December 2009 | |||
| Genre | Electronic | |||
| Length | 2:47 | |||
| Label | Zirkulo | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Crystal Fighters | |||
| Producer(s) | Crystal Fighters | |||
| Crystal Fighters singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Release
editThe track gained attention from BBC Radio 1, with plays from Nick Grimshaw and Rob da Bank.[1][2] "I Love London" was featured in Mixmag's Top 100 Records of 2008, placing at number 91; this being particularly notable due to this being the only song in the list to have been unreleased at the time.[3][4] The single was featured in Time Out magazine's "50 best London songs", coming in at number 49, with a justification as follows:
This deranged, stuttering ode to Crystal Fighters' adopted city of London does exactly what it says on the tin, the repeated near hysterical refrain, 'I wanna go to a friend's party', both refreshing in its cut-to-the-chase hedonistic desire and a reflection of the banality and boredom that relentless London partying inevitably brings".
— Time Out London, [5]
The release was again licensed to Kitsuné and this time included in their Maison 8 compilation album.[6] The Delta Heavy remix of the track can be heard in the 2009 Michael Caine action-drama, Harry Brown.[7]
Music video
editMimi Borrelli (former member of Crystal Fighters) features as the dancer in the video, which was directed by Martin Zahringer.[8]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Love London" | 02:47 |
| 2. | "I Love London" (80Kidz Remix) | 05:55 |
| 3. | "I Love London" (Lorcan Mak Remix) | 04:55 |
| 4. | "I Love London" (In Flagranti Dub Mix) | 05:13 |
| 5. | "I Love London" (Qoso Remix) | 06:05 |
| 6. | "I Love London" (Brackles Remix) | 05:43 |
| Total length: | 30:38 | |
Reception
editThe song received mixed reviews. The Guardian (2011) commented:
'I Love London, while as silly ("Willesden! Harlesden! Watford Junction!") as anything here, has charm' [1]
In his review of the original album release, Benjamin Hiorns of online music magazine Subba-Cultcha commented that:
'I Love London' however is the most irritating, hipster bullshit piece of ass I've heard in months which sums up in 3 ear raping minutes why I hate the London music scene and the record looses [sic] a whole point as a result (yes it really is THAT bad).
— Benjamin Hiorns, [10]
When asked in an interview by Josh Holliday, of Virgin Media, as to the disparity between the album on the whole and this particular single, Pringle had the following comment:
We still love the track, and we did make a few songs that were more similar to it but it seemed like it would survive on its own but [sic] we wanted to make songs that were perhaps more conventional in their construction, incorporating more guitars etc. But yeah, in the future I think there'll be room for more single-orientated releases like 'I Love London'.
— Sebastian Pringle, [11]
References
edit- ^ "Radio 1 Programmes – Nick Grimshaw, Tuesday – New Boyz and Crystal Fighters". BBC. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
- ^ "Radio 1 Programmes – Rob da Bank, Eliza Doolittle in session". BBC. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
- ^ "Top 100 Tunes 2008". Mixmag. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "For The Record | Crystal Fighters: Interview". 4ortherecord.com. 29 July 2008. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ "London's 50 best songs: 50-41". Time Out London. Archived from the original on 15 November 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
- ^ "Various – Kitsuné Maison Compilation 8 (CD) at Discogs". Discogs. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
- ^ "ALBUM BIO: Crystal Fighters – Star of Love (out 4th February, 2011) | Mushroom Group Promotions". Mushroomgroup.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
- ^ "MARTIN ZÄHRINGER/ director's page". Martinzahringer.tumblr.com. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
- ^ "Crystal Fighters – I Love London (File, MP3) at Discogs". Discogs. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
- ^ Hiorns, Benjamin. "Subba-Cultcha review". Subba-Cultcha. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ^ "Crystal Fighters interview – Interviews – Music". Virgin.com. 4 October 2010. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.