Burial debuted in March 2005 on the Hyperdub label with the South London Borough EP, which included the tracks "Southern Comfort" and "Broken Home." These two tracks would be among the highlights of the full-length album Burial (2006), whose release was accompanied by a second EP, Distant Lights (2006). Comprising bleak, evocative dubstep -- one track, "Night Bus," is entirely beatless, driven only by sampled rainfall and eerie synth melodies -- Burial was critically acclaimed, and most notably voted Album of the Year by The Wire; it was also voted among the best albums of the year by Mixmag. Burial's second album, Untrue (2007), was eagerly awaited as a result of all the acclaim; an EP, Ghost Hardware (2007), was released a few months in advance, drumming up further interest. Like its predecessor, Untrue was critically acclaimed, voted among the best albums of the year by XLR8R, for instance, and reviewed even more favorably than its predecessor.
In February 2008, British newspaper The Independent made a claim that William Bevan, indeed a native of South London, was the individual behind Burial. Bevan later confirmed the report, continued to record under his alias, and issued several collaborative works with the likes of former schoolmate Kieran Hebden (Four Tet), Thom Yorke, Massive Attack, and Jamie Woon. He issued three additional Hyperdub EPs -- Street Halo, Kindred, and Truant -- in 2011 and 2012. A Japanese CD release combined the first two. Bevan's 2013 was quiet until that December, when he released a three-track EP for Hyperdub titled Rival Dealer. A single-sided 12" titled Temple Sleeper surfaced on Keysound in 2015. The following year, Burial collaborated with Zomby on a track called "Sweetz," which appeared on Zomby's Ultra album and was also released as a single. Later in the year, Burial's Young Death/Nightmarket arrived on Hyperdub.
In April of 2017, Burial's remix of Goldie's jungle classic "Inner City Life" was released by Metalheadz. The following month, Burial's ambient Subtemple EP appeared on Hyperdub. He returned to beat-driven material in September with the garage-leaning single "Rodent," which was backed with a remix by Hyperdub boss Kode9, as well as "Pre Dawn," which appeared on Non Plus. In 2018, Burial and Kode9 mixed Fabriclive100, the conclusion of one of the two mix-CD series produced by London club Fabric. Single "Claustro"/"State Forest" appeared in 2019, and Burial ended the year with Tunes 2011-2019, a double-CD compiling most of his Hyperdub-issued output throughout the decade.
There are other artists with the same name:
2) Burial is a death metal band from The Netherlands. They released a downloadable album, Relinquished Souls at their website.
3) Burial is a hardcore punk band from Germany. They mix the sounds of early American hardcore with a definite dose of Japanese hardcore and Japanese burning spirits.
4) Burial is a brutal death metal band. They first got noticed with their self-produced debut CD, Mourning The Millenium. After appearing at several major US fests, Burial was signed to Lost Disciple Records and in 2000 released Enlightened With Pain, showcasing the band's pummeling brutality and technical proficiency. In 2001, Burial completed their first US tour, including Milwaukee Metalfest.
5) Burial is a blackened death metal band from Manchester, England.
6) Burial is a deathcore band from Quรฉbec City, Quรฉbec
7) Burial is a black ambient band from Poland.
8) Burial is a horrorcore artist from Michigan, Detroit.
9) Burial is a death doom metal band from Italy.
Distant Lights
Burial Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Now that I need you...)
The opening lines of Burial's song "Distant Lights" express a sense of longing and dependency. The repetition of "now that I need you" emphasizes a sudden yearning for someone who may not be present, and highlights the idea that the singer has come to rely on this person. This could be interpreted in various ways; perhaps it's a romantic relationship that has recently soured, leaving one person feeling abandoned and vulnerable. Alternatively, it could refer to a friend, family member, or even a higher power that the singer has turned to in a time of need.
The opening phrase sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is characterized by a haunting sense of solitude and detachment. The use of a distorted, echoing vocal sample throughout the track contributes to the eerie atmosphere, as though the voice is floating through a vast, empty space. The repetition of "distant lights" in the chorus further emphasizes this theme of distance and disconnection. The imagery of lights twinkling in the dark, far away, creates a sense of isolation and the melancholic beauty of such.
Overall, "Distant Lights" is a song that captures the ache of wanting someone or something that feels just out of reach. It expresses the pain of feeling alone in a vast universe, but also highlights the beauty and mystery of that same universe, as explored through the metaphorical use of the lights.
Line by Line Meaning
Now that I need you
After being apart, I realize that I now need you in my life and I long for your presence once again.
You're the distant lights
You represent the source of hope and guidance in my life that beckons me to come home, just like how distant lights do for a lost traveler.
Watching over me tonight
You give me a sense of security and comfort, knowing that you're always there to look after me, especially during dark and lonely times.
All these broken dreams
The hopes and aspirations that we once had together have been shattered and left unfulfilled, resulting in a bleak and uncertain future.
Have I ever told you
I wonder if I've ever expressed my true feelings towards you and confessed how much you mean to me.
That you're the reason why
You're the driving force behind my motivations, my inspiration, and my existence, and I owe everything to you.
I'm feeling so alive
Being in your presence makes me feel rejuvenated, revitalized, and filled with a sense of purpose and passion for life.
And now these tears
Despite everything, the pain and sorrow of our separation have left me weeping and grieving over the loss of our relationship.
Will fill the ocean blue
The magnitude of my sadness is so overwhelming that it feels like my tears could flood the entire ocean with their sheer volume.
How could we let it end?
The question of how our love fell apart and how we allowed it to happen lingers in my mind, haunting me with guilt and regret.
Now I'm reaching out my hands
I'm making a desperate plea for us to reconcile and come back together, hoping that we'll be able to build a stronger and more fulfilling relationship than before.
Try to hold on to the end of the line
I'm asking you to hold onto our connection and not let go, even in difficult times, because it's the only thing that's keeping us together and giving us hope for a brighter future.
But the distant lights
Despite our efforts to stay connected, we're still physically far apart and our separation is like a strong force that's pulling us away from each other, like distant lights that are slowly fading into the horizon.
They never disappear
Our memories, our love, and our bond may be distant and faded, but they will never truly disappear, as long as we hold onto them and cherish them in our hearts and minds.
Contributed by Bella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hadrien
Why does this feel like future music that is forever unreachable? Like some dystopian fever dream
LebombJames
The year is 2020, and this man still needs Melvin.
Delhi Delirium
All I know is that no other album encapsulates my life in ( not so much Britain as a whole but ) London better than this one ... ( this might sound pompous ) my nocturnal , introspective space in particular .
A milestone in music , this is .
George Hazard
I concur. Having never visited London (or Britain), I imagine this is exactly what it sounds like.
Paul john pinky Bennett
Future music for the jilted generation of the dark dub culture. This guy is just so far out there, he can't be touched. Unique. The best music floating for a long time.
E BP
Incredibly nuanced and detailed cityscape and atmosphere. Glittering lights of the metropolitan city
Eddy Mendoza
The other day I was watching tv on cartons network at mid night and Crunchyroll and they use this master piece in the background and I said buriiial yeah jajjjj
TheBennychin
That's amazing how Cartoon Network and Crunchyroll know who Burial are! I would've loved to hear this in the background of something or some promotion on Cartoon Network or something. That sounds fantastic!
beepst
Burial's debut album is as good as Untrue and it doesn't get the love it deserves. It dives through darker moods, but it's equally pure and emotional.
Josh@Chicago
Love that trumpet sound that begins around minute 1:00, just elevates this so much