Earth Intruders

Infobox Single
Name = Earth Intruders


Artist = Björk
from Album = Volta
Released = April 9 2007 (Digital single)| Format = Digital download, Box set
Recorded =
Genre = Electronica/Alternative
Length = 6:13 (Album version)
3:18 (Single Version)
4:26 (Mark Stent's Extended Edit)
Label = One Little Indian/Atlantic
Writer = Björk
Timothy Mosley
Nate Hills
Producer = Björk
Timbaland
Danja
Reviews =
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Electronic Release Artwork
Type = single


Lower caption = Only used with the electronic release of the EP. Note the text oriented differently with slightly different coloring.
Last single = "Where is the Line"
(2005)
This single = "Earth Intruders"
(2007)
Next single = "Innocence"
(2007)"Earth Intruders" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic singer Björk. The song was released as the first single from her sixth full-length studio album, "Volta". The single was released digitally in the USA on 9 April and 21 April, 2007 and in Europe on 28 April, 2007. [cite web | author= [http://www.allaccess.com/ allaccess.com] | year= 2007| title= "All Access Music Group"| url=http://www.allaccess.com/mainFrame.php?url=/site/home/index.php%3Fbs=sp%26sn=home%26d=alternative%26f=home%26ng=alternative%26ag=42| accessdate=2007-03-10] [cite web | author= [http://fmqb.com/ fmqb.com] | year= 2007| title= "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!"| url=http://fmqb.com/Article.asp?t=p&id=16770| accessdate=2007-03-10] [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - New Information on VOLTA!"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=12109&highlight=| accessdate=2007-03-10] It is produced by R&B record producer Timbaland and his protégé Danja. [cite web | author= The Guardian| year= 2007| title= "10 essential albums for spring"| url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2030991,00.html#article_continue| accessdate=2007-03-11] The song has been her biggest hit in the USA since 1993's "Big Time Sensuality". The single was released in a physical box set on 4 February, 2008.

Beginnings

The first mention of "Earth Intruders" as a song title was made on [http://www.allaccess.com/ allaccess.com] on March 10, 2007, [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - First Single from Volta: 'Earth Intruders' April 10th"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=12073| accessdate=2007-08-15] and was later confirmed as the lead single through an article in The Guardian on March 11, 2007. [cite web | author= [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/ observer.guardian.co.uk] | year= 2007| title= 10 essential albums for spring | Review | The Observer"| url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2030991,00.html#article_continue| accessdate=2007-08-15] On March 26, 2007, a distorted sample of the song was uploaded to the YouTube video sharing website as part of the viral marketing campaign for the "Volta" album.cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Possible slight leak on youtube?"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=12546&highlight=| accessdate=2007-03-29] [cite web | author= [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/ pitchforkmedia.com] | year= 2007| title= "Pitchfork: Bjork Trickling Out Volta Teasers"| url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/42003-bjork-trickling-out-ivoltai-teasers| accessdate=2007-03-31] A fifteen second sample of the track then appeared on the Rhino Records online ringtone website on April 1, 2007. [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Earth intruders ringtone!!!!!!!"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=12734| accessdate=2007-04-01] [cite web | author= [http://www.rhino.com/ rhino.com] | year= 2007| title= "Rhino Ringtones | Music and Wallpapers For Your Phone | Bjork"| url=http://www.rhino.com/ringtones/artist.lasso?artistid=583681| accessdate=2007-04-01] The purchased ringtone featured a different clip (with different lyrics) to the one used in the online preview on the site; both audio samples were subsequently spread across music forums. [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Earth intruders ringtone!!!!!!!"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?p=468859#468859| accessdate=2007-04-03] On April 3, 2007 it was reported that the Björk section of the Rhino Records online ringtone store had been removed. [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Earth intruders ringtone!!!!!!!"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?p=470727#470727| accessdate=2007-04-03] After a broadcast of the song on the internet radio station [http://www.woxy.com/ WOXY] on April 6, 2007 the song was made widely available across file-sharing networks. [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "EARTH INTRUDERS 6PM Woxy."| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=12987| accessdate=2007-04-07]

On April 7, 2007, the "Mark Stent Extended Edit" was released on the Australian iTunes Store; most other iTunes Stores made the single available on April 9, the official release date of the digital single. [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "Earth Intruders (Mark Stent Extended Edit)"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=13015&highlight=| accessdate=2007-04-07] The album version of Earth Intruders (which differs from the iTunes Store version both in terms of mixing and track length) was leaked to the internet on April 24, 2007 due to the full album being made available accidentally on the UK iTunes Store on April 23, 2007 for a total of six hours, two weeks before the album's official release date. [cite web | author= [http://www.macworld.co.uk MacWorld.co.uk] | year= 2007| title= "iTunes UK blunders with Bjork - iPod/iTunes - Macworld UK"| url=http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=17882| accessdate=2007-04-28]

Background

In an interview on [http://www.mtv.com mtv.com] Björk talked about the background of the song. [cite web | author= [http://www.mtv.com/ mtv.com] | year= 2007| title= "MTV News – Tsunami, Timbaland Help Shape Bjork's Forthcoming Volta"| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1554591/20070314/bjork.jhtml| accessdate=2007-03-14]

Critical reception

"Earth Intruders" got favourable reception by music critics. Drowned in Sound reviewer Mike Diver gave the song 9/10, praising it as "immediately catchy, compellingly left of centre, and undeniably unique". [cite web | author= [http://www.drownedinsound.com/ drownedinsound.com] | year= 2007| title= "Drowned in Sound - Reviews - Singles - Björk - Earth Intruders"| url=http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/9986| accessdate=2008-02-05] Digital Spy reviewer Miriam Zendle cited "Earth Intruders" as returning to Björk's earlier commercial sound, comparing it to her more recent albums that were "incredibly difficult to grasp hold of". [cite web | author= [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ digitalspy.co.uk] | year= 2007| title= "Music - Singles Reviews - Bjork: 'Earth Intruders' - Digital Spy"| url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a46683/bjork-earth-intruders.html| accessdate=2008-02-05] Music website Popjustice called it the 80th greatest single of 2007. [cite web | author= [http://www.popjustice.com/ popjustice.com] | year= 2007| title= "Popjustice - The Greatest Singles of 2007"| url=http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2024&Itemid=9| accessdate=2008-02-05] Newly launched Music publication Wellheart Music Journal also praised the song calling it 'a sure alternative radio favourite, this song restores the singer’s beat-driven songs of the 90’s. A most welcomed return.' [ [http://www.wellheartmusicjournal.com Wellheart Music Journal | Yesterday's, Today's, and Tomorrow's Music ] ]

Club Mixes EP

A digital-only "Earth Intruders – Club Mixes" EP was released on the iTunes Store in the US/UK on May 21, 2007. The European iTunes release contained only three of the original five tracks.cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Earth Intruders Club Mixes (5 track EP, May 21/28)"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=14846&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=radio+edit&start=0| accessdate=2007-06-28] It is only the second time (the first being Play Dead) that an instrumental of a Björk track has been officially released. With this release, it was determined that "Earth Intruders" would have no physical release in any territory worldwide. Also, the Mark Stent mix was initially labelled as an "Extended Edit", but on May 23, 2007, was retitled to "Radio Edit"; the "xxxChange Mix" was retitled from the previous non-descriptive title "Earth Intruders Remix". [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Earth Intruders Club Mixes (5 track EP, May 21/28)"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?p=543082#543082| accessdate=2007-06-28]

# Mark Stent Radio Edit 4:26
# xxxchange Mix 4:38
# Lexx Remix 6:40
# Lexx Edit 4:05
# Mark Stent Radio Edit Instrumental 4:29

The European iTunes Store release omitted the tracks "Mark Stent Radio Edit" and "Lexx Edit."

Limited Edition Release

A limited edition "multiformat" box set was released at the beginning of February 2008 with slightly different artwork. The box set consists of a sticker-sealed fold out box with five nesting boxes containing two 12" vinyl singles, a CD and a DVD in colored paper sleeves.

12-inch vinyl 1

:Side A. "Earth Intruders" (xxxchange Remix):Side B. "Earth Intruders" (Jimmy Douglas Mix)

12-inch vinyl 2

:Side C. "Earth Intruders" (Lexx 12" Remix):Side D. "Earth Intruders" (Mark Stent Mix)

CD

# "Earth Intruders" (Mark Stent Mix)
# "Earth Intruders" (Jimmy Douglas Mix)
# "Earth Intruders" (Lexx Remix Radio Edit)
# "Earth Intruders" (xxxchange Remix)
# "Earth Intruders" (Lexx 12" Remix)

DVD

# "Earth Intruders" (Video directed by Michel Ocelot)

Performances

On April 21, 2007, a barefooted Björk appeared as musical guest on an episode of the U.S. comedy-variety show "Saturday Night Live" in promotion of the album. She performed the songs "Earth Intruders" and "Wanderlust." [http://www.culturebully.com/archives/3117] [ [http://www.mulley.net/2007/04/23/bjork-on-saturday-night-live-apri-2007/ Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » Bjork on Saturday Night Live Apri 2007 ] ] On June 8, 2007 (recorded on June 5, 2007), Björk performed, along with her tour musicians, on the UK television show "Later With Jools Holland" for the fifth time in her solo career. She performed "Earth Intruders," "The Anchor Song," and "Declare Independence." Björk has also performed the song on every show of the worldwide Volta tour, usually as the very first song played after she enters the stage. Björk's set at Glastonbury Festival was broadcast on BBC Four on 22 June 2007, with "Earth Intruders" being the first song of the concert.

Music video

The music video for "Earth Intruders" was directed by Michel Ocelot and is his first for Björk, or indeed anyone else. It features Björk's face floating in the background, first upside down, then upright, singing with her eyes closed. In the foreground, a large group of silhouetted tribal warriors dance in time to the music. The video features psychedelic colours and patterns imposed on an earthy backdrop. The video ends with Björk's face slowly fading into the middle of a glade, her eyes being opened just as she sings the last lyric. Ocelot stated that Björk had originally wanted Kirikou (the child-hero of Ocelot's "Kirikou and the Sorceress" and "Kirikou et les bêtes sauvages") to be featured as a 20 year-old in the video. [cite web | author= [http://www.ansa.it/ ansa.it] | year= 2007| title= "(page unavailable at time of citation)"| url=http://www.ansa.it/site/notizie/awnplus/news_collection/awnplus_cinema/2007-03-25_12548503.html| accessdate=2007-04-03] [cite web | author= [http://4um.bjork.com/ 4um.bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "bjork.com//unity - Earth Intruders video directed by…"| url=http://4um.bjork.com/viewtopic.php?t=12466&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=ocelot&start=0| accessdate=2007-04-03]

An exclusive preview was shown during the "Le Grand journal" show on French TV channel Canal+ on 17 April 2007. [cite web | author= [http://www.bjork.fr/ bjork.fr] | year= 2007| title= "Le clip Earth Intruders disponible en streaming - bjork.fr news, forum, photos, concert 2007 / 2008, Volta, Live Session Album"| url=http://www.bjork.fr/+Earth-Intruders-clip-canal-plus+.html| accessdate=2007-12-06] The full video was made available in the iTunes Store on April 24, 2007. [cite web | author= [http://www.bjork.com/ bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "Earth Intruders video and recent media"| url=http://www.bjork.com/news/?id=625;year=2007#news| accessdate=2007-04-17] It is also fully viewable on Björk's official [http://www.myspace.com/bjork MySpace] page. It was nominated for the 2007 Q Award for Best Video. [cite web | author= [http://www.bjork.com/ bjork.com] | year= 2007| title= "Dazed&Confused + Q Award Nomination"| url=http://www.bjork.com/news/?id=625;year=2007#news| accessdate=2007-12-06]

Charts

"Earth Intruders" reached number 67 on the UK Official Download Chart, and number 78 on the main UK Singles Chart, while the remix EP later released charted on its own at #150. In the United States, the song debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at number 84 in the issue dated April 28, 2007. [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/chart_beat/bonus.jsp Breaking Music News - Music Business Information - Music Industry Sales ] ] This is Björk's highest position on the U.S. Hot 100, the previous being "Big Time Sensuality" in 1993, which peaked at number 88. The single's very modest success on the U.S. charts has been mainly attributed to internet downloads; the single sold 16,000 downloads on the week of its release, propelling it to number 65 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Tracks. [cite web | author= [http://billboard.com/ billboard.com] | year= 2007| title= "Bjork's New Blend"| url=http://billboard.com/bbcom/feature/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003583697| accessdate=2007-06-28] The song also peaked at number 75 on the U.S. Billboard Pop 100. [cite web | author= [http://billboard.com/ billboard.com] | year= 2007| title= "Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales"| url=http://billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=396&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Pop+100&ci=3083457&cdi=9236505&cid=04%2F28%2F2007| accessdate=2007-06-28]

References