Kiss Land (song)
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Kiss Land
| cover = The Weeknd - Kiss Land (single).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Weeknd
| album = Kiss Land
| released = {{Start date|2013|05|17}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Alternative R&B
| length = {{Duration|m=7|s=36}}
| label = * XO
| writer = * Sébastien Tellier
- Abel Tesfaye
- Jack Holkeboer
- Danny Schofield
- Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville
| producer = * Silkky Johnson
- DannyBoyStyles
- The Weeknd
- Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville
| prev_title = The Zone
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Belong to the World
| next_year = 2013
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Wq6V9YpE1aE|"Kiss Land"}}
}}
}}
"Kiss Land" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from his debut studio album of the same name. It was released on May 17, 2013, by XO and Republic Records, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by the Weeknd, Danny Schofield, Jason Quenneville, all three producing the song with Silkky Johnson, with Jack Holkeboer receiving writing credits.
Background and composition
In 2011, the Weeknd released the mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence to critical acclaim.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/person/the-weeknd|title=The Weeknd Profile|publisher=Metacritic. CBS Interactive|access-date=May 19, 2013}} The following year, he released the compilation album Trilogy, which contained his earlier projects with three newly recorded tracks.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/trilogy/id571371388|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111225318/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/trilogy/id571371388|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2013|title=iTunes - Music - Trilogy by The Weeknd|work=iTunes Store|date=November 13, 2012|access-date=May 19, 2013}} The Weeknd began work on his debut studio album Kiss Land in 2013; he revealed the title and cover artwork on March 17.{{cite web|author=Dharmic X|date=March 17, 2013|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/03/the-weeknd-announces-that-his-new-album-will-be-titled-kiss-land|title=The Weeknd Announces That His New Album Will Be Titled "Kiss Land"|work=Complex|access-date=May 19, 2013}}
The song was produced by Silkky Johnson, known for his previous work with ASAP Mob and Lil B, in which the first half of the song is a repurpose of another song he initially produced for Main Attrakionz entitled "Nothin' Gonna Change," from the 2011 mixtape 808s & Dark Grapes II. "Kiss Land" was released to the iTunes Store on May 17, 2013, and lasts for seven minutes and thirty-six seconds, it contains a sample of "La Ritournelle" by French musician Sébastien Tellier.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kiss-land-explicit-version/id650170231 |title=iTunes - Music - Kiss Land (Explicit Version) - Single by The Weeknd |work=iTunes Store |date=May 16, 2013 |access-date=May 19, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904000841/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kiss-land-explicit-version/id650170231 |archive-date=September 4, 2013 }} The song was co-produced by DannyBoyStyles, the Weeknd himself and Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville. It is divided into two musical portions; the first section discusses themes of sex, while the latter half addresses the topics of alcoholism.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707534/weeknd-drops-sexy-kiss-land-sincere-john-carpenter.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607061420/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707534/weeknd-drops-sexy-kiss-land-sincere-john-carpenter.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 7, 2013|title=The Weeknd Drops Sexy 'Kiss Land' and Sincere 'John Carpenter'|author=Rob Markman|work=MTV News|date=May 17, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2013}}
Critical reception
Upon its release, "Kiss Land" was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. Lauren Nostro from Complex complimented the Weeknd's growth as an artist, noting that he "continually refines" his "defined aesthetic", and noted that the track "boasts a bridge".{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/05/listen-the-weeknd-kiss-land|title=Listen: The Weeknd "Kiss Land"|author=Lauren Nostro|work=Complex|date=May 16, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2013}} Global Grind's Brittany Lewis described the song as "hypnotic",{{cite web|url=http://globalgrind.com/music/the-weeknd-kiss-land-john-carpenter-new-music|title=The Weeknd "Kiss Land/John Carpenter"|author=Brittany Lewis|work=Global Grind|date=May 17, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2013}} while Carl Williott of Idolator thought that the use of a woman's scream brought a "sinister lothario thing to absurd new heights".{{cite web|url=http://idolator.com/7458788/the-weeknd-kiss-land-stream|title=The Weeknd Unveils "Kiss Land": Hear The New Album's Epic Title Track|author=Carl Williott|work=Idolator|date=May 17, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2013}} Rob Markman from MTV News felt that "Kiss Land" shared a similar structure to the Weeknd's previous tracks, but also suggested that the forthcoming release of Kiss Land will reveal "a lot more about music's mystery man".
VH1 India gave "Kiss Land" a 7/10 citing it as "An impressive sequential plunge into the Weeknd's cryptic tide, but as he himself so coyly reminds us,"This is nothing to relate to," and we may have already extended our invitation".{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.in/music/reviews/kiss-land |title=Kiss Land | Vh1 India |access-date=September 19, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921173003/http://www.vh1.in/music/reviews/kiss-land |archive-date=September 21, 2013 }}
Music video
The music video for "Kiss Land" was released on June 25, 2013. The video includes sexually explicit content,{{cite web |title=THE WEEKND 'Kiss Land' Directors Cut |url=https://vimeo.com/110199194 |access-date=August 19, 2024}} but a censored version of the video was released and is available to view on the Weeknd's account.{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/484307-the-weeknd-kiss-land-video|title=The Weeknd "Kiss Land" Video|website=HotNewHipHop|date=June 25, 2013|access-date=February 4, 2024}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Kiss Land" ! scope="col"| Chart (2013) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| South Korea International Streaming (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/digital_chart/streaming.php?nationGbn=E¤t_week=23¤t_year=2013&chart_Time=week |title=Gaon Streaming Chart (2013년 6월 2주차) |publisher=Gaon Chart |access-date=April 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125741/http://gaonchart.co.kr/digital_chart/streaming.php?nationGbn=E¤t_week=23¤t_year=2013&chart_Time=week |archive-date=April 13, 2014 }}
| 195 |
|---|
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|eN84vAqO9NY|Kiss Land (Audio)}}
{{The Weeknd songs}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by the Weeknd
Category:Songs written by DaHeala
Category:Song recordings produced by the Weeknd
Category:Republic Records singles