Simulation theory

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Simulation theory
Studio album by Muse

Publication
(s)

November 9, 2018

Label (s) Helium-3 , Warner

Genre (s)

Alternative rock , new prog , electronic rock

running time

42:12

occupation Vocals , keyboards , guitar : Matthew Bellamy
Bass : Christopher Wolstenholme
Drums : Dominic Howard

production

Rich Costey • Mike Elizondo • Muse • Shellback • Timbaland

chronology
Drones
(2015) 		Simulation theory -
Single releases
18th May 2017 Dig down
15th February 2018 Thought contagion
19th July 2018 Something human
August 30, 2018 The dark side
September 27, 2018 Pressure

Simulation Theory is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Muse . It was released on November 9, 2018 by major labels Warner Bros. Records and Helium-3. Muse co-produced the album with music producers Rich Costey, Mike Elizondo , Shellback and Timbaland . In contrast to the previous album, Simulation Theory is less gloomy and influenced by science fiction and pop culture of the 1980s , characterized by the intensive use of synthesizers . The lyrics are largely influenced by the poisoned political climate and "pesky and lousy news" in the United States.

Instead of producing the album in one piece, Muse focused on creating the individual pieces one at a time. The recordings started in early 2017 at AIR Studios in London with Mike Elizondo until Muse went on tour in North America on May 20, 2017. Later in 2017, Muse continued to produce in Los Angeles with Costey, who had previously produced the studio albums Absolution (2003) and Black Holes and Revelations (2006) for Muse.

The album cover comes from illustrator Kyle Lambert, who previously worked on the artwork for the Stranger Things film series . The music videos pay homage to 1980s pop culture and feature films like Back to the Future (1985), Teenwolf (1985) and the music video for Michael Jackson's song Thriller (1983) . Before the album, the singles Dig Down , Thought Contagion , Something Human , The Dark Side and Pressure were released and played on the 2018 festival tour through North America. The album was published both in a standard edition and in two special editions with additional alternative versions. A tour through North America and Europe is planned for 2019, including a concert in Cologne. The album received mixed reviews.

background

After completing the Drones World Tour in August 2016, the band and tour director Glen Rowe expressed the intention to develop a new, more ambitious tour, but with a different musical direction. Singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy considered the possibility of experimenting with influences from hip-hop or implementing a more reduced acoustic sound. Drummer Dominic Howard suggested releasing singles and EPs for those audiences who don't listen to and buy albums.

composition

Musically, Simulation Theory can be assigned to the musical styles of Electronic Rock , Pop-Rock and Synth-Pop . It lyrically deals with the role of simulation in societies and the simulation hypothesis of the Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom , according to which reality can very likely only be a simulation. Biographer Mark Beaumont suggested that songwriter Matt Bellamy adhered to the idea that "we are all just chunks of code in the form of unusually chunky Sims." In contrast to the darker motifs of the previous album, Simulation Theory focuses on lighter science fiction topics. Bellamy expressed the core idea of ​​the album "Fantasy becomes real".

The band wanted to combine elements from different eras, as the singer Lana Del Rey already does, who combines music in the style of the 1950s with contemporary song texts, as is exemplified in her song Video Games (2011).

# title min bpm Categorization
1. Algorithm 4:05 85 The opening song Algorithm contrasts classic piano sounds with synthesizers and chip tunes from the 1980s.
2. The dark side 3:47 100 The Dark Side is a melodic, slightly ballad-like song. Muse use very precisely played disco drum rhythms, combined with an effect guitar riff , and equally effect-laden, plaintive vocals.
3. Pressure 3:55 136 Pressure is a power pop song with contrasting horns and guitars, reminiscent of nerd rock. The song contains several changing riffs . The song has a Tomtom -influenced indie rhythm and modern aesthetic, including a catchy chorus and slightly melancholy harmony.
4th propaganda 3:00 95 Propaganda has a reduced rhythm and blues rhythm and remains comparatively cautious at first, with isolated vocal samples above it. Several snares set in in the chorus, followed by head voices background chants and a bluesy acoustic guitar slide insert.
5. Break It to Me 3:37 90 Break It To Me seems almost minimal at the beginning due to the basic riff, then opens with a wide, melodic chorus and theremin melody and ends with Tom Morello scratches and dubsteb drops .
6th Something human 3:46 105 Something Human is a rock song that is inspired by folk-rock with the intention of contrasting the dark atmosphere of Drones and the Drones World Tour . Bellamy described the song as a " tender, down-to-earth, simplistic song " that describes the burnout and homesickness at the end of their three-month world tour.
7th Thought contagion 3:37 70 Thought Contagion was created in late 2017 after the band moved to Los Angeles and restarted production. The verses are about Bellamy's fears that overcame him while watching the US news; the choir recalls Bellamy's concerns about the impact misinformed or ideologically motivated people have over their audience. The song title is inspired by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins , who compared the spread of thoughts "regardless of their accuracy and truth" with a viral disease.
8th. Get up and fight 4:04 135 The song is a throwback to the hit single 2 Times by Ann-Lee in 1999. According to Matt the lyrics is about the cancer of his uncle.
9. Blockades 3:50 127 Blockades is based on an étude for piano ( Opus 25, No. 12 ) by the Polish composer Frédéric Chopin from 1837.
10. Dig down 3:48 64 The tenth and penultimate song on the album, Dig Down , was one of the earliest productions and a response to the social and political climate following the UK's 2016 EU membership referendum and the 2016 US presidential election in the hope of “the people To give inspiration, optimism and hope so that they fight for their beliefs ”.
11. The Void 4:44 68 The final song, The Void, uses film music- like strings, followed by a continuous, brisk rhythm to hissing synth melodies and ends as a piano ballad with a deep synth bass.

Recordings

AIR Studios in London , England, where the first recordings for Simulation Theory were made in early 2017.

Muse began composing and recording their eighth studio album in late 2016 after completing the Drones World Tour . Muse first worked with American music producer Mike Elizondo at AIR Studios in London , England , until the band toured North America with PVRIS and Thirty Seconds to Mars in May 2017 . Three songs were composed and recorded during this session. One of these songs, Dig Down , was released following the recording in May 2017. After the tour ended, the band continued recording in Los Angeles with Rich Costey, who had previously co-produced Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations .

Rather than producing the album as a whole, as Muse had done on previous albums, this time around, she focused on recording and mixing one track at a time. This approach should improve the individual quality of the songs. Until mid-production, Muse didn't pursue a specific theme for the album.

One of the first songs produced by Costey was Thought Contagion , which was originally based on a bass line and theremin melody conceived by Bellamy . The band began recording in November, replacing the theremin with a ten-layer choir led by Bellamy and bassist Chris Wolstenholme . The verses were originally intended to be supported by a heavier, arena- like drum sequence, but experimenting with the programming resulted in a trap- inspired drum sound that is modeled on the Roland TR-808 (1981) drum computer . The folk-rock inspired song Something Human was also co-produced by Costey. Shellback and Timbaland also contributed to the production of the songs.

Artwork

The album cover was designed by British visual artist Kyle Lambert, who had previously worked on the artwork for the Stranger Things mystery series . The graphics software Procreate was used on an iPad Pro , drawing was carried out with an Apple Pencil . The retro style is based on the aesthetics of the 1980s and Lambert's earlier works from this era.

The cover for the “Super Deluxe” version was created by the designer Paul Shipper, who had previously created cinema posters for films by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Avengers: Infinity War . The motif depicts several characters, including members of the band, in a stylistic arrangement similar to earlier work by Shipper.

promotion

In April 2017, Muse posted footage of her first studio recordings on social media , announcing that new material was "coming soon." More cryptic announcements were made in the weeks that followed. The first song of the recording session, Dig Down , was released on May 18, 2017 along with the music video. The song became the opening song of the 2017 North American tour.

After her return to the studio, Muse announced the song Thought Contagion as the next release as well as other tracks. Thought Contagion was released on February 15, 2018 at the same time as its music video. In the following weeks, Muse published more footage of the album production on social media. In 2018, Muse also headlined several festivals in the United States, including Bonnaroo , BottleRock and Carolina Rebellion .

On July 20, 2018, Muse announced the album's release date, along with the lead single Something Human . Album title, track list and cover art were released on August 30, 2018. The two editions Deluxe and Super Deluxe contain five or ten additional song versions, which are advertised as "alternative reality versions": The UCLA Bruin Marching Band intoned Pressure , a gospel reinterpreted Dig Down , a live version of Thought Contagion is included as well Acoustic versions of Propaganda , Something Human and The Void . The single The Dark Side was released on August 30th, followed by Pressure on September 27th, 2018.

Music videos

Muse intended to produce a music video for all eleven songs on the album, which coherently form a narrative about "digital domination and curse". Just like the album, the music videos revolve around science fiction themes and are inspired by a 1980s aesthetic and effects. All videos were shot by the American director Lance Drake, who became known for his work with the Swedish electro -pop group Miike Snow and the synth-pop musician Twin Shadow .

The first video, Dig Down, shows former basketball player Lauren Wasser attempting to forcibly escape from a high-security facility. The action-packed video is a literal interpretation of the lyrics based on Wasser's published experience with Toxic Shock Syndrome . Drake had intended to make a video with Lauren Wasser even before working with Muse, and the themes of unity and survival of Dig Down inspired a story centered around her. Bellamy appears in the video on an analog television set with a cathode ray tube, dressed and stylized like the 1980s cyberpunk character Max Headroom .

The second video, Thought Contagion , references Michael Jacksons' 1983 music video Thriller , which features a love story about a vampire antagonist, illustrated by choreography and neon lighting.

Muse organized an open casting for dancers and extras for the video and favored "super nervous" punk characters with "wild hair", tattoos and piercings. The third video, Something Human , follows Bellamy attempting to return a VHS tape to a video rental company before turning into a werewolf while being pursued by the police, portrayed by bandmates Dominic Howard and Chris Wolstenholme. Drake wanted to turn a simple task like sending back a tape into an "epic journey" while continuing the narrative of the previous two videos.

Continuing the visual style inspired by the 1980s, the video plays in a simulation and relates directly to the media of the 1980s such as Back to the Future and Teenwolf ; Feature films that Bellamy liked in his childhood and that he wanted to remember as part of the simulation environment.

The following video, The Dark Side , starts at the end of Something Human and shows Bellamy driving through a simulated dystopian landscape populated by giant robots. The video is based on cyberpunk and the computer game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City . The fifth music video, Pressure , continues the pop culture references of the 1980s. Muse plays under her original band name as Rocket Baby Dolls at a school ball ("Homecoming Dance"), which is based on the scene enchantment under the lake from the movie Back to the Future . Former football player Terry Crews acts as the program announcer who uses a Ghostbuster -like proton pack to fight an outbreak of gremlin-like creatures. Critics also identified cinematic references to the feature film Critters - You Are Here! (1986), directing John Hughes and the Netflix series Stranger Things (since 2016).

Chart placements

Charts Top ranking Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK) Germany (GfK) 4th (6 weeks) 6th
Austria (Ö3) Austria (Ö3) 3 (6 weeks) 6th
Switzerland (IFPI) Switzerland (IFPI) 1 (19 weeks) 19th
United Kingdom (OCC) United Kingdom (OCC) 1 (10 weeks) 10
United States (Billboard) United States (Billboard) 12 (6 weeks) 6th

Reviews

Professional reviews
Reviews
source rating
laut.de
Allmusic
Rolling Stone
Music Express
DIY
The Guardian
Kerrang
NME
Metal hammer

Simulation Theory received mixed reviews. On Metacritic , Simulation Theory got an average rating of 63 points based on 19 reviews, six of which were positive. Neil Z. Yeung from Allmusic praises the combination of electro-pop with a “compelling stadium rock substructure”. Andrew Trendell of NME describes the album as a " Tron- stylized pastiche of [Muse's] own adolescence, " adding that "you will be ashamed to tell someone how much you love it".

In the British daily The Guardian , Michael Hann wrote that "the less poppy moments are the most exciting", referring to the arpeggios and power chords of Blockades and the synth bass lines of Algorithm . Christopher R. Weingarten of the music magazine Rolling Stone thinks the mix of lyrics about relationships and politics results in a confusing message.

Yeung rates Simulation Theory as "the most straightforward or least conceptual album [by Muse] in over a decade" and believes that the "orchestral and dubstep twists of previous 2010 productions are missing". For British DIY writer Will Richards, the album is the continuation of Drones' “absurdities” : “If a muse album isn't meant to make you laugh, gasp and poke at its ridiculousness, then we don't want to hear it . "In the opinion of Frank Thießies from the music magazine Metal Hammer , it is" entertaining to impressive "how" all eighties essence modules transform into a larger-than-life, retro-futuristic Sega mega-drive of synth-rock. "

“[Bellamy's thoughts] are not very informative, the level just keeps the level of information of a Frontal21 feature on this topic. But what works okay is the music. Instead of rocking megalomaniacs, Muse have developed a sound that sounds like the CD supplement to the nerdy PM magazine . This is music for people who avoid rock concerts because of the presence of other people. "

- André Boße : Musikexpress

“Utopia instead of dystopia: On their new album, Muse swap the grim, totalitarian scenarios of the last works for 80s soundtrack aesthetics and an almost playful variety of styles. Let there be neon light. "

- Jörn Schlueter : Rolling Stone

“Much of what is sung on Simulation Theory [sounds] like an old man who is afraid of change, and sometimes exaggeratedly pregnant with meaning because Bellamy performs it in his typical falsetto and then sings choirs with himself. […] The result on the new album is still arena rock , which is ideal for every headlining spot. But it is characterized by the 80s synthesizer aesthetic and individual successful singing moments. "

- Middle Bavarian newspaper

The Mittelbayerische Zeitung rated the album as "acceptable".

Track list

  1. Algorithm - 4:05 min - 85 beats per minute (bpm)
  2. The Dark Side - 3:47 - 100 bpm
  3. Pressure - 3:55 - 136 bpm
  4. Propaganda - 3:00 - 95 bpm
  5. Break It to Me - 3:37 - 90 bpm
  6. Something Human - 3:46 - 105 bpm
  7. Thought Contagion - 3:26 - 70 bpm
  8. Get Up and Fight - 4:04 - 135 bpm
  9. Blockades - 3:50 - 127 bpm
  10. Dig Down - 3:48 - 64 bpm
  11. The Void - 4:44 - 68 bpm

Web links

Commons : Muse  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c dpa: Science fiction and retro charm. In: Stern . November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Daniel Krüger: Chris Wolstenholme (Muse) in an interview about "Drones", the new album and Rock am Ring. In: Musikexpress . June 1, 2018, accessed on November 24, 2018 : “It's the first time we've recorded an album over a very long period of time. We usually go into the studio for a while and then we have the record. But now it's already 1.5 years since we started recording and new songs. We finish the album in sections, always go to the studio for a few days and a song. "
  3. ^ A b Reviews for Simulation Theory by Muse . In: Metacritic . Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ Mike Hohnen: Muse Reach Peak Muse, Are Considering A Magnetic Stage So Band Can "Levitate". In: Music Feeds. October 26, 2016, archived from the original on October 27, 2016 ; accessed on November 24, 2018 (English).
  5. ^ Noah Yoo: Muse "Want to Do a Stage Made of Magnets So the Band Can Levitate" On Next Tour . October 25, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  6. ↑ Zanda Wilson: Matt Bellamy Is "Going To Start Rapping" On Muse's Next Album . November 8, 2016. Accessed September 1, 2018.
  7. ^ Luke Morgan Britton: Muse suggest surprising new direction on next album. In: New Musical Express (NME). November 4, 2018, archived from the original on October 11, 2018 ; Retrieved on November 20, 2018 (English): "Asked by Absolute Radio if they could go acoustic, frontman Matt Bellamy said:" I feel like I say it every time with each album but I feel like it might be time to actually do something a bit more stripped down. ""
  8. ↑ George Varga: Muse may have made its last album, says drummer. In: The San Diego Union-Tribune. January 6, 2016, archived from the original on September 2, 2018 ; accessed on November 22, 2018 (English): "The way people consume music has changed so drastically over the past 10 years, it's insane. And I'm the same. I certainly don't listen to albums all the way through now, like I used to. So we just thought, if we're going to release an album this time, we wanted to make it an album that makes sense from start to finish. It makes much more sense to go from start to finish, than just hear one or two songs. "
  9. ↑ a b Mark Beaumont: Muse: Simulation Theory album review. In: Classic Rock Magazine. November 9, 2018, accessed November 20, 2018 .
  10. ↑ SowingSeason: Review: Muse - Simulation Theory . SputnikMusic. November 9, 2018.
  11. ↑ a b Mark Beaumont: Muse's biographer: 'Simulation Theory' will find Muse going full 'San Junipero'. In: New Musical Express (NME). August 31, 2018, archived from the original on September 1, 2018 ; accessed on November 21, 2018 (English): "... that's really one of the themes of the album, the idea of ​​fantasy becoming real, simulations becoming something that's part of our everyday life."
  12. ↑ a b “ I confidently expect this to be Bellamy's dissection of the idea that we're all just lumps of code in the shape of unusually lumpy sims. ”( Beaumont, 2018 )
  13. ↑ “ But after a long run of albums tackling some of mankind's most serious concerns - oppressive governments, energy depletion, remote control warfare - they've finally found a mind-bending sci-fi topic to have fun with. ”( Beaumont, 2018 )
  14. ↑ “ … what's interesting about music now is not just the style-blending but the era-blending. So you'll have an artist like Lana Del Rey doing a song that sounds and feels like it's set in the 1950s, but she's singing about video games. It's an interesting time for era-blending and creating something which is timeless, and not particularly attached to any time ... ”( Bellamy, Savage, 2018 )
  15. ^ Roisin O'Connor: Muse release new track 'Thought Contagion'. In: The Independent . February 16, 2018, archived from the original on September 2, 2018 ; accessed on November 22, 2018 (English): "... and we're also interested in doing some genre-blending and era-blending."
  16. ↑ Chad Childers: Muse's 'Thought Contagion' Is Inspired by Trump Supporters . February 16, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018: "Bellamy also teased a track called" Algorithm "that has" blended a bit of romantic classical piano with like '80s synth, computer game music. ""
  17. ^ A b c Nicolay Ketterer: Muse - Simulation Theory. In: mobilefidelity magazine. November 13, 2018, accessed December 9, 2018 .
  18. ↑ Andrew Trendell: Muse go 'back to the future' in new video for their 'straight rock single' Pressure '. In: New Musical Express (NME). September 27, 2018, archived from the original on September 28, 2018 ; accessed on November 20, 2018 (English): “It's more like a straight Muse rock track. It's like a different riff every 10 seconds, basically. [...] the scene shifts to a high school prom - seemingly recreating the prom scene in Back To The Future , with Muse assuming the role of the band and the frontman appearing to be dressed as Marty McFly. "
  19. ↑ Clint Worthington: Muse premiere new single "Pressure" and Terry Crews-starring video: Stream . September 28, 2018. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved on September 28, 2018: “… driving power chords, catchy hooks, pure wall-of-sound nerd rock. The addition of horns to the song's central riff […] the song's power-pop sensibilities. [...] is a big, silly, over-the-top '80s throwback, featuring everything from a John Hughes-y school dance to Terry Crews zapping gremlins with a Ghostbuster-like proton pack. "
  20. ↑ Pedrosa Marina: Muse Goes Back to the '80s for Sci-Fi' Pressure 'Video: Watch. In: Billboard . September 27, 2018, archived from the original on September 28, 2018 ; accessed on November 20, 2018 (English): "... their new '80s high school homecoming-meets-Stranger Things music video for Pressure , [...] The multiple-riff, guitar-heavy tune features some impressive melodic arrangements and a full- bodied vocal attack by frontman Matt Bellamy. "
  21. ↑ Jakob Uhlig: Is that a muse? In: Plattentests.de . November 9, 2018, accessed January 6, 2019 .
  22. ↑ a b Lake Schatz: Muse to release new album in November, unleash Something Human as first single: Stream . July 19, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018: “ Something Human finds the alt-rockers tracking a much more mellow route here, trading in crunchy prog-rock for - get this - something along the lines of folk pop. [...] The song was co-produced by the band with help from Rich Costey. "
  23. ↑ Wolfgang Weitzdörfer: Even muses are sometimes mixed ... In: da hog'n. November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 22, 2018 .
  24. ↑ “ The Drones Tour was amazing and we're very happy with how it went, but at the same time it was quite grueling. [...] It had a dark vibe, which is good, but when you've been doing that for a while that natural result was that as soon as I came off the road, Something Human came out, which is a more tender, down -to-earth, simplistic song about what it feels like to be burned out and wanting to get home to a more normal life after being on the road for a couple of years. ”( Bellamy, Olivier, 2018 )
  25. ↑ a b “ It's a pretty recent track, probably towards the end of last year is when I wrote it. I came up with the bass line and then I originally used a theremin, to [create] this lead melody that went over the top. ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  26. ↑ “ Probably watching American news stations. We're living in an age where these sort of ideologies, people's belief systems, whether they are true or false, are getting a lot of air time, especially ones on the false side [...] The verses are me streaming off anxieties and feelings ... ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  27. ↑ “ Thought Contagion was inspired by watching rolling news in America, and seeing how it influenced voters." ”( Bellamy, Savage, 2018 )
  28. ↑ “ The key line in the song […] summarizes what I'm trying to get at here, which is sometimes in life you will come across situations where someone who is a bit ideological or believes things that are not true in any way will sometimes have more power than you, over you or get more airtime. I think that's really what the song is about. ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  29. ↑ “ We're living in an age where truth is getting less airtime than falsities; and that's a scary thing. When you live in that bubble, and see that bubble, the scariest thing about it all is you realize people's minds can be influenced by false belief systems or incorrect thinking. ”( Bellamy, Savage, 2018 )
  30. ↑ “ The title of the song came from a Richard Dawkins book that suggested that thoughts can become contagious and spread like a virus," regardless of their accuracy and truth ". ”( Bellamy, Savage, 2018 )
  31. ^ Johnathan Dean: Muse exclusive interview: Matt Bellamy and co on their new album, Simulation Theory. In: The Times UK. October 4, 2018, accessed December 9, 2018 .
  32. ↑ Calum Slingerland: Muse Return with "Dig Down". In: Exclaim! May 18, 2017, archived from the original on September 1, 2018 ; accessed on December 8, 2018 .
  33. ↑ Roisin O'connor: Muse are back in the studio recording new music. In: The Independent . April 6, 2017, archived from the original on September 1, 2018 ; accessed on December 9, 2018 .
  34. ↑ Sam Murphy: Muse Are Back In The Studio And Have A New Song "Coming Soon" . April 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  35. ↑ Chris Schulz: Super producer Mike Elizondo 'blown away' by Kiwi singer . March 3, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2018: "... and landed in New Zealand fresh from a songwriting session with stadium rockers Muse ..."
  36. ↑ Leila Cobo: Muse Dazzles at Stunning Summer Tour Kickoff in West Palm Beach . May 20, 2018. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  37. ↑ Andrew Trendell: Muse have recorded 'three new songs' in a London recording studio. In: New Musical Express (NME). March 14, 2017, archived from the original on September 1, 2018 ; accessed on November 20, 2018 (English).
  38. ↑ Elias Leight: See Muse's Violent, Kung-Fu-Filled 'Dig Down' Video. In: Rolling Stone . May 18, 2017, archived from the original on September 1, 2018 ; accessed on November 24, 2018 (English).
  39. ^ Matthew Strauss: Watch Muse's Video for New Song "Dig Down" . May 18, 2017. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  40. ↑ Michelle Geslani: Muse share action-packed video for new single "Dig Down" . May 18, 2017. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  41. ↑ Andrew Trendell: Muse are back in the studio - with an old friend and collaborator. In: New Musical Express (NME). October 12, 2017, archived from the original on September 1, 2018 ; accessed on November 20, 2018 (English).
  42. ↑ Tom Connick: Muse's new album 'Simulation Theory' - everything we know so far. In: New Musical Express (NME). August 30, 2018, archived from the original on August 30, 2018 ; accessed on November 20, 2018 (English).
  43. ^ I Muse di nuovo al lavoro con il produttore Rich Costay ( Italian ) October 12, 2017. Accessed September 1, 2018.
  44. ↑ “ We're doing the writing, recording and mixing process and even the video in this occasion before moving onto the next song. It's nice for us to not be multitasking twelve songs at once and always thinking about the whole. ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  45. ↑ “ Unlike previous projects, the band are releasing it one song at a time, rather than conceiving an overarching concept. ”( Bellamy, Savage, 2018 )
  46. ↑ “ It remains to be seen whether the whole will have a concept to it, but I kinda think that we've done two or three concept albums in a row now. I think it'll be our greatest album in terms of the quality of individual songs. ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  47. ↑ “ It wasn't until we started recording the song in November that it occurred to me that the theremin melody would be a cool, anthemic sort of vocal part, so [bassist] Chris [Wolstenholme] and I did about ten passes on that to create this sort of crowd effect on the vocal. ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  48. ↑ “ The verse of the song, originally, was probably a lot more heavy-sounding than it is now, in terms of [having a] much more arena sound, drum kit kind of thing. But we wanted to experiment with programming the verse and go for more of a slightly trap or 808 drum feel for the verses… ”( Bellamy, Greene, 2018 )
  49. ^ " On their latest single, Thought Contagion , the band have even used the skittish drum patterns of Trap. "That's the first time we've used something like that - big 808 [drum machine] drops and stuff," said Bellamy. ”( Bellamy, Savage, 2018 )
  50. ↑ Muse Uses 'Stranger Things' as Inspiration for Cover Art to New Album . August 30, 2018. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  51. ↑ Jon Blistein: Muse Preview New Album 'Simulation Theory' With Slick Song 'The Dark Side'. In: Rolling Stone . August 30, 2018, archived from the original on August 30, 2018 ; accessed on January 6, 2019 .
  52. ↑ Alex Young: Muse announce new album, Simulation Theory, unveiled “The Dark Side”: Stream . August 30, 2018. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved on August 30, 2018.
  53. ↑ Tom Connick: Here's how Muse's new album artwork was created using an iPad. In: New Musical Express (NME). October 23, 2018, archived from the original on October 24, 2018 ; retrieved on November 20, 2018 (English): "Lambert shows the process behind the sci-fi imagery that will adorn the sleeve of 'Simulation Theory'. In the beginning, he can be seen creating line drawings on his iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil ... "
  54. ↑ Peter Cao: Muse's 'Simulation Theory' album artwork created with Apple Pencil and iPad Pro . October 22, 2018. Archived from the original on October 24, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2018: "… both the album artwork and the video teaser was almost entirely created with the iPad Pro using the Apple Pencil."
  55. ↑ Nick Lucchesi: Who Do We Blame for Muse's 'Simulation Theory'? . August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018: “The artwork for Muse's Simulation Theory feels very much like an elevated version of the '80s Text Generator meme that was popular two years ago, an aesthetic that was no-doubt inspired by Stranger Things. "
  56. ↑ “ The album comes in an uber-retro sleeve […] that couldn't be more Blade Runner if it came with a free attack ship on fire off the shoulder of Orion. [...] The whole thing screams San Junipero to the max. ”( Beaumont, 2018 )
  57. ↑ Jerry Ewing: Muse to release new album Simulation Theory on November 9 . August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  58. ^ Roisin O'Connor: Muse tease new single and video on social media . May 9, 2017. Archived from the original on May 15, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2018. 
  59. ↑ Joe Anderton: Muse tease their long-awaited comeback with cryptic video . May 8, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  60. ^ Gil Kaufman, Muse Tease New Music in Cryptic Video . May 9, 2017. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  61. ↑ Chad Swiatecki: Muse delivers lots of moments big and small, and one great live show . June 11, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2018: "... but the only taste of Muse-to-come came at the top of the show with Dig Down , the single released in May in advance of the tour."
  62. ↑ Lynn Saxberg: Bluesfest review: Muse energy level set to stun . July 16, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2018: "... there was some catching up to do, starting with a brand-new tune entitled Dig Down."
  63. ^ Martin Kielty: Muse Are Planning More Singles Before Their Next Album . December 11, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
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