Specific praise was given to the production, lyrics and the 1975's embrace of pop music, drawing comparisons to M83, Daft Punk, MGMT, and Passion Pit. Upon release, the song was met with widespread acclaim from contemporary music critics, many of whom deemed it a standout from I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. Throughout the song, Healy describes an obsession with the sound of his lover's heartbeat. Focusing on a desire for attention, sex and intellectual validation, among others, the lyrics detail a relationship struggling with deceit. It features a disco house piano, syncopated synthesisers, synthesised strings and an electric guitar solo, and incorporates aspects of new wave, funk and R&B, among others. Healy first presented the song to One Direction, who declined, so the band decided to record it.Ī house, pop, disco and synth-pop song, "The Sound" contains a maximalist 1980s-style four on the floor production. Inspired by the pop albums of his youth, Healy sought to channel the memorable melodies from them and create an "unabashed" pop song. The song was released on 14 January 2016 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the third single from the album. The London Community Gospel Choir provide the song's choir vocals. Mike Crossey handled the production alongside Daniel and Healy. It was written by George Daniel, Matthew Healy, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. " The Sound" is a song by English band the 1975 from their second studio album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (2016). If ‘Somebody Else’ is a precursor, it’s set to be a huge album.From the album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It The album, ‘I Like It When You Sleep For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’ is set for release on February 26th, and is 17 (plus two bonus) tracks long. The post also made a very real statement about the music genre the 1975 sometimes find themselves in – Healy writes ‘when did they get us believing POP should be devoid of meaning?’ The 26 year-old explained that the song was about him – he says ‘I know I may talk too much just like I’m wired or in a rush, but when it’s dark to act like lightning makes it all a bit less frightening’. The day the track was released, lead singer Matty Healy uploaded an image onto social media about the song. I think it’s this honesty in tracks like ‘ Sex‘, ‘ Me‘, and this track that brings their fans into the sentiment so welcomely. With a million and one songs about love and thus, losing it, the 1975 don’t shy away from writing songs about uncomfortable and raw feelings that we maybe don’t even admit we feel ourselves. The chorus is brutally honest, ‘I don’t want your body but I need to think about you with somebody else, I’m looking through you while you’re looking through your phone and then leaving with somebody else’.
Lyrically, there are some standout moments. What follows this is an electronic solo which lifts the track.
The second verse and after is a little punchier – with more playful melodies, and a to-and-fro in the bridge. Matty’s vocal is carefully placed over the distinctly 80’s beat, and in this track features a certain vulnerability found in previous more emotionally-orientated tracks, such as ‘Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You‘ and ‘Robbers‘. This song feels timeless the 80’s bass and slow-funk of the track paired with the 1975’s trademark synth loops and effortless vocals bring the nostalgic and modern together. The playful bass is electric and emulates subtle funk – the band are known for their almost-ironic pop style, but this track is deeper than that. Then there’s a small interval before the chorus kicks in, and it’s a whole new sound. The loop of electronic synth air behind Matty’s careful and meaningful words are unmistakable. From the very beginning, this sounds like a 1975 song.