13 perfect interludes we wish were full songs
Interludes that should be much, much longer - and proof that bigger isn't always better...
Frank Ocean 'Fertilizer', Channel Orange: Ocean's career-defining 2012 album was packed full of considered r&b classics, lamenting on lost love, shattered dreams and spoilt teens. There were flashes of his skill as a pop writer as well, including this brilliantly catchy interlude. Distorted and distant on the record, 'Fertilizer' was an attention catching moment, but all too brief at just 40 seconds long. It should have been ten times longer.
Moderat 'The Mark', II: The German dance supergroup dropped one of the definitive electronic albums of 2013 with their second album, which was pleasantly punctuated by a number of classy interludes. None stood out in the same way as album opener 'The Mark', which simmered with brooding apprehension as it set the tone for this incredible album, before dropping into single 'Bad Kingdom'.
The Killers - 'Enterlude', Sam's Town: 'We hope you enjoy your stay' sings Brandon Flowers on the band's 2006 album. We'd probably enjoy it more if the band had fleshed this out into a full track. Admittedly, this stripped-back track leads into career highlight, 'When You Were Young', but as greetings go, this should have been much meatier.
M83 'Klaus I Love You', Hurry Up, We're Dreaming: OK, so M83's 2011 album didn't need to be any more epic, but of the short, sparkling 'Klaus, I Love You' was a tantalising slice of dancefloor brilliance which stood it apart from its soaring companions. A nudge to remind the listener that M83 can move the feet as easily as he/they can the heart.
Muse - 'Interlude', Absolution: As Muse became more epic, and embraced intergalatic, orchestral sounds into their music, even their interludes were heart-stoppingly brilliant. 38-seconds of Sigur Ros-esque feedback, The Westcountry trio packed more melody into this 2003 track than most bands capture across an entire album.
The Offspring - 'Intermission', Ixnay On The Hombre: The Offspring don't take themselves seriously - and turned 49 seconds of salsa nonsense into a moment of light-hearted brilliance on their 1997 album, downing tools for a minute without the relentless guitars, chants and punk-pop rebellion. It breaks up the album marvellously.
Frightened Rabbit 'Housing (In)' and 'Housing (Out)', Pedestrian Verse: Frustratingly split into two parts, 'Housing' was probably our only grumble with Frightened Rabbit's brilliant 2013 major label release. Obviously as fully-formed as the rest of the tracks on the album, breaking it in two denied us of an 11th perfect anthem from the Scottish stars.
The 1975 'The 1975', The 1975: The title track from the band's debut, self-titled album and the opening tune on the band's chart topping record, the British newcomers opened the record with a hint to their mellow, r&b leanings - before exploding into hit single, 'The City'. The band have promised to explore this side fully, and if it means more tracks like this, then we're in.
The Flaming Lips - 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 2', Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots: Part 1 was one of the biggest singles of Wayne Coyne's career. Part 2 was a squelching, brilliant mess that was batshit mental, but totally brilliant, revealing perhaps a little too much about the inner workings of the frontman's mind. He's weird, basically.
Sigur Ros - 'Straumnes', Med suo i eyrum vio spilum endalaust: It's rare for Sigur Ros to dip below the six minute mark on tracks these days, so known are they for mammoth tracks, but on their 2008 album, they eased off the epic a little for 2 minutes of instrumental bliss. Taken from their most orchestral album, the influence of since-departed Kjartan Sveinsson is evident on this wonderful interlude.
Azealia Banks - 'Paradiso', Fantasea Mixtape: Banks wasn't always known for terrorising Twitter. When she released her Fantasea Mixtape in 2012, hopes were high that she was here to shake up modern music. It was an impressive collection, and 50-second track 'Paradiso' had more potential, and more hooks, than every single she has released since '212'. What went wrong?
Radiohead - 'Hunting Bears', Amnesiac: Taken from Radiohead's 2001 album Amnesiac, 'Hunting Bears' was a lo-fi guitar solo, packed with melancholy and thoroughly unconventional. It hinted at some of the dark territory the band would later explore.
For some, the album interlude is a simple breaker on a record - but for others, it's as much a labour of love as the rest of the album, hinting at unfulfilled promise and over too soon.
The masters of the interlude are, unsurprisingly, some of the best and most accomplished bands and artists on the planet, with the likes of Muse, The Killers, Sigur Ros, Frank Ocean, Frightened Rabbit and more having delivered spine-chillingly brilliant tracks in just a few short minute, and leave us wanting so much more.
Forget your eight minute epics, these are our favourite interludes in modern music. We only wish they were a lot longer...