"Andromeda" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter

Weyes Blood Natalie Laura Mering (born June 11, 1988), known professionally as Weyes Blood (pronounced , like "wise blood"), is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She was primarily raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She has been performing her o ...

, released through

Sub Pop Sub Pop is an independent record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...

on January 17, 2019, as the lead single from her fourth studio album ''

Titanic Rising ''Titanic Rising'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Weyes Blood, released on April 5, 2019 by Sub Pop. Produced by the artist along with Jonathan Rado, it is influenced by 1970s FM radio. Its lyrical themes a ...

'' (2019). It was written by the artist, co-produced by her and Jonathan Rado, and mixed by Kenny Gilmore in Los Angeles. The song marked her first original release since her critically acclaimed 2016 album '' Front Row Seat to Earth''. The artist included "Andromeda" in the set list of her In Holy Flux Tour. A music video was released in 2024.

Background

After releasing her third studio album '' Front Row Seat to Earth'',

signed in 2017 with record label

, and initially planned to release a studio album the following year. She released "Andromeda" at the beginning of 2019, while the record company announced that her album would be available in the spring of the northern hemisphere. In February, she announced the album, titled ''

'', while releasing the second single, "Everyday".

Composition and production

"Andromeda" was written and produced by Weyes Blood along with Jonathan Rado, and mixed by Kenny Gilmore in Los Angeles. It has been described as a

folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...

love song A love song is a song about love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. Love songs can be found in a variety of different music genres. They can come in various formats, from sad and emotion ...

, with themes of

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...

and

technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

. It is a "galactic"

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...

, in which "a twangy slide guitar plays around a spaced-out synthscape". Its lyrics are about "finding a relationship that withstands modern distractions and unrealistic expectations". Kitty Empire for ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' wrote that the song finds Weyes Blood "staring at the heavens, looking for 'something I might never find'." After being asked about the theme of the song, the singer stated:

Critical reception

"Andromeda" was praised for its "atmosphere and production embellishments" that "keep it sounding fresh". While calling it "dizzying", the magazine's reviewer Leah Lu praised her vocals and lyrics, equipped with an "elegant swagger". The song was named by the ''

Paste Magazine ''Paste'' is an American monthly music and entertainment digital magazine, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with studios in Atlanta and Manhattan, and owned by Paste Media Group. The magazine began as a website in 1998. It ran as a print publi ...

'' staff as the second best Weyes Blood song, while praising its "familiar structure and '80s-style percussion". Israel Daramola for ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

'' described "Andromeda" as "hypnotic" and "bluesy". ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

'' placed the song at number 28 on its list of the Best Songs of 2019. ''

The Fader ''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. History and work It is owned by T ...

'' also included the song in an unranked list of the staff's best songs of the year.

Live performances

Weyes Blood performed "Andromeda", along with "Wild Time" and "Picture Me Better", at a

Tiny Desk Concert ''Tiny Desk Concerts'' is a video series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music at the desk of former '' All Songs Considered'' host Bob Boilen in Washington, D.C. The first ''Tiny Desk Concert'' came about in 2008 after Boilen and NPR Music ed ...

for

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, published on December 11, 2019. The song was later added to the setlist of the In Holy Flux Tour (2022–2023). The singer also sang the song at

Glastonbury Festival The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (commonly referred to as simply Glastonbury Festival, known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton, Somerset, England, in most su ...

on June 25 of that year.

Music video

A music video for "Andromeda" was released on April 15, 2024, over five years after its release. It was directed by the artist along with Ambar Navarro and Colton Stock. Its filming began in 2018 and was ultimately completed in 2024, marking the album's fifth anniversary. In the video, Weyes Blood plays three roles: a traveler marooned on a desert planet, an astronaut on a spacewalk, and interstellar royalty riding on an asteroid. It was described by ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' as a "psychedelic odyssey featuring Mering in a '' Barbarella''-esque metallic suit".

References

External links

* * {{Weyes Blood 2019 singles 2019 songs Weyes Blood songs Songs written by Weyes Blood Song recordings produced by Weyes Blood Song recordings produced by Jonathan Rado Sub Pop singles