Midnight Machines is the fifth extended play recorded by Canadian electropop singer-songwriter Lights. It was released April 8, 2016 through Warner Bros. Records. The collection serves as a companion to her 2014 album, Little Machines, featuring six acoustic versions of tracks from that album alongside two newly-recorded songs.[1] Midnight Machines received praise from critics for its maturity and earned Lights her sixth top ten album in Canada.
| Midnight Machines | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| EP by | ||||
| Released | April 8, 2016 | |||
| Studio | Revolution Recording (Toronto, ON) | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 39:10 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer |
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| Lights chronology | ||||
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Release and promotion
editMidnight Machines was announced and became available for pre-order on March 4, 2016.[2] The acoustic version of "Meteorites" was released to digital retailers that day as the EP's only promotional single.[3] An official music video for the song also premiered March 4.[4] The EP was released April 8, 2016 in digital, physical, and vinyl formats.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[5] |
| Renowned for Sound | [6] |
Matt Collar of AllMusic rated the EP four stars out of five and wrote that the "folky, intimate nature" of Midnight Machines allows Lights to "wring even more depth and illumination from the songs." He also wrote that the EP "plays less like an acoustic afterthought and more like [a] sincerely crafted work."[1] Sarah Towle of Exclaim! rated the EP eight out of ten and wrote that "if Little Machines made you want dance, its counterpart Midnight Machines is what you want on at the after party, when the lights go down and shit gets real."[5] Brendon Veevers of Renowned for Sound gave the EP a perfect five stars out of five review and wrote that the record "marks a new level of skill and craft in the Lights repertoire" with "pristine, precise and perfectly executed re-imaginations."[6]
Commercial performance
editMidnight Machines debuted at number nine on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart dated April 30, 2016.[7] This earned Lights her sixth top ten album on the chart.[8] In the United States, the EP entered the Billboard 200 at number 104 and the Vinyl Albums sales chart at number 16.[9][10]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Up We Go" | 5:39 | |
| 2. | "Same Sea" |
| 4:12 |
| 3. | "Follow You Down" | Poxleitner | 4:42 |
| 4. | "Meteorites" |
| 5:07 |
| 5. | "Don't Go Home Without Me" | Poxleitner | 4:17 |
| 6. | "Running with the Boys" |
| 5:34 |
| 7. | "Head Cold" | Poxleitner | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Muscle Memory" |
| 5:34 |
| Total length: | 39:10 | ||
Charts
edit| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[8] | 9 |
| US Billboard 200[9] | 104 |
| US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[10] | 16 |
References
edit- ^ a b c Collar, Matt. "Midnight Machines - Lights | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ Murphy, Sarah (March 4, 2016). "Lights Announces 'Midnight Machines' Acoustic Album and Tour Dates". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ "Meteorites [Acoustic] - Lights | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ "LIGHTS - Meteorites [Official Video]" (video). YouTube. March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ a b Towle, Sarah (April 8, 2016). "Lights Midnight Machines". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ a b Veevers, Brendon (March 29, 2016). "Album Review: Lights - Midnight Machines". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ "On The Charts This Week". FYI Music News. April 20, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ a b "Lights Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ a b "Lights Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ a b "Lights Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2017.