The band entered the studio in the autumn of 2010 with Jimmy Robertson to record their debut album, and released the single ‘South Pacific’ in Jan 2011. This second release and first for their new label Kitsuné / Cooperative Music, was mixed by LEXXX. Around this time they toured the UK and Europe as special guests of Klaxons, The Big Pink, Mystery Jets, Good Shoes and also co-headlined a tour with Egyptian Hip Hop.
In June 2011 they released their debut album “Native to”, preceded by the single “The Greeks”. "The Greeks" was accompanied by a video directed by French directors Megaforce, which quickly went viral (almost 3,500,000 plays to date on YouTube, and over 10,000,000 on Chinese YouTube)[citation needed]. The video was critically praised and has won several awards (The Antville Music Video Awards 2011', UK Music Video Awards 2011', D&AD Yellow Pencil Award 2012', Artrocker Award).
After the release of "Native to" and of single "Lies", the band spent rest of 2011 and part of 2012 touring Europe, USA (with Crystal Fighters), Japan, South America and the Far East.
In January 2013, Is Tropical released an EP, titled "Flags", featuring artists Get People, Visions, Drugzndreamz, Goodbye Leopold and Owen Pratt.The band released their second album ‘I’m Leaving’ on 20 May 2013 on Kitsune / Pias. The album was produced by Luke Smith.
The first single taken from the album is "Dancing Anymore", accompanied by a video by previous collaborators Megaforce, which gained notoriety and was removed from YouTube within hours of its release due to its graphic depiction of imagined sexual acts between a young man and naked CG characters. The second single, 'Lover's Cave' was released on August 26. 2013. The video was directed by cult New York photographer Richard Kern.
Berlin
Is Tropical Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A collage of colours will fall
See the light turn to gold
Feel the cold
The walls live and move and then fold
To crush our limp bodies like coal
On your tip toes
You're never as high as I feel
Diamonds appear where we lay
As our thoughts and our minds are erased
I let myself go (x8)
I've swallowed your eyes
So you'll finally see from my shoes
It's way darker from my point of view
But when smiles turn to frowns we'll be gone
And when songs sound like storms we'll float on
So let yourself go
Just let yourself go (x7)
The song "Berlin" by Is Tropical is a haunting and poetic portrayal of youth in the city. The lyrics capture the fleeting and intense experiences of living in a vibrant city, with all its beauty and dangers. The song opens with the invitation to "take it all," as a "collage of colours" falls around the listeners. The imagery of Berlin is invoked through the description of the light that "turns to gold," as if the city is imbued with some kind of transformative magic. However, the dark underbelly of the city is also hinted at, with the "cold" and the walls that "live and move and then fold" to "crush our limp bodies like coal."
The song shifts into a more personal register in the second verse, as the singer addresses the listener directly: "On your tip toes / You're never as high as I feel / On your high horse, or in your high heels." Here, the distance between the singer and the listener is emphasized, as the singer is portrayed as being elevated, both literally and metaphorically. The song then takes a turn towards the surreal, as "diamonds appear where we lay" and our "thoughts and our minds are erased." The repetition of "I let myself go" reinforces the idea that there is a kind of surrender or abandon being embraced, with the singer letting themselves be lost in the moment.
The final lines of the song are perhaps the most enigmatic: "I've swallowed your eyes / So you'll finally see from my shoes / It's way darker from my point of view / But when smiles turn to frowns we'll be gone / And when songs sound like storms we'll float on / So let yourself go / Just let yourself go." These lines suggest a disorienting and perhaps even destructive connection between the singer and the listener, as they share a perspective that is "way darker" than what the listener might see. However, the singer also offers a kind of comfort in the face of this darkness, suggesting that they will "float on" through the storms of life, and urging the listener to "let yourself go" and surrender to the experience of living.
Line by Line Meaning
So take it all
Take everything life has to offer.
A collage of colours will fall
Life will present itself as a beautiful mess of different experiences.
See the light turn to gold
Witness the transformation of ordinary moments into something wonderful.
Feel the cold
Let yourself feel raw and vulnerable.
The walls live and move and then fold
The environment around us is constantly changing and can take unexpected turns.
To crush our limp bodies like coal
We are fragile and vulnerable to the unpredictability of life.
On your tip toes
Be cautious and watchful.
You're never as high as I feel
You cannot comprehend my experiences and emotions.
On your high horse, or in your high heels
You may think you are superior or above others, but in reality, we are all equals.
Diamonds appear where we lay
Even in the midst of hardship, there is beauty and value in our experiences.
As our thoughts and our minds are erased
When we let go of our mental barriers and preconceived notions, we open ourselves up to new experiences.
I let myself go (x8)
Surrendering yourself to the moment and embracing the unpredictability of life.
I've swallowed your eyes
I want you to see the world from my perspective.
So you'll finally see from my shoes
I want you to understand me and my experiences.
It's way darker from my point of view
My experiences have been difficult and challenging.
But when smiles turn to frowns we'll be gone
Life is temporary and we must cherish happy moments while we can.
And when songs sound like storms we'll float on
Even when life is chaotic and difficult, we can rise above and find peace and calmness.
So let yourself go
Embrace the present moment and let go of your inhibitions.
Just let yourself go (x7)
Surrender yourself to the unpredictability and beauty of life.
Contributed by Adeline L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@benurfi
deserves a lot more views than 617!
@alehaocsweety
nice tune!
@tamari5577
❤️🥳
@coyotecrazie5
yay!
@KnewGaming
Ty Pandora
@benurfi
swallow my eyes, cause i want to see from your shoes!
@abbylina25
sounds like give me everything from pitbull