Prior to forming The Midnight, Tyler Lyle and Tim McEwan were both established musicians. Lyle was an indie-folk singer-songwriter based in the state of Georgia and gained initial notability with several self-released titles, becoming regionally and nationally known. McEwan was a drummer and producer based in Denmark, later becoming a member of the Danish production group Deekay who has written and produced songs for many popular artists.
The pair met for the first time in 2012 at a songwriter’s workshop in North Hollywood organized by Katie Donovan, Lyle’s A&R representative at the time. Prior to meeting, McEwan had listened to some of Lyle’s previous work and liked Lyle’s folk sound. Despite differing musical backgrounds, they bonded over a mutual love of 80s rock and began to write songs together. After initially struggling to define their sound, McEwan suggested that they compose songs in the synthwave style. McEwan had prior exposure to the burgeoning genre and was inspired by the movie Drive. The first song they wrote together as a duo was WeMoveForward, which was included on their debut EP Days of Thunder.
STYLE AND WORKFLOW
For most of their career, The Midnight has created a strong and distinct synthwave sound in their music - Tim McEwan once described the band's early albums “as if Miami Vice had a baby with a John Hughes movie”. However, McEwan has continuously expressed a desire to evolve the synthwave genre and not be confined by it. Tyler Lyle has stated several times that the band's philosophy when composing is “combine, not confine”. Influences of genres such as lo-fi, soft rock, trance, and vaporwave can be heard on Monsters, and Lyle's musical background has brought influences of indie folk and Americana to the band's sound as well. Regarding the merging of their individual talents and styles, Lyle has said:
It’s rock and roll with synthesizers. Tim has a keen ear for production, and I can write songs that fit comfortably within the tradition of 20th century classic pop songwriting. Somewhere in the middle things get interesting.
McEwan employs various digital synths in his production, including Serum, Diva, TAL-U-NO-LX, Spire, and Roland Cloud's Jupiter 8 and Juno 106. In mid-2020, he mentioned that his favorite synth to use at the time was U-He's emulation of Prophet-5, known as Repro 5. McEwan has stated that he commonly begins with presets and then tweaks them to his liking. KONTAKT is used for sampling.
Both McEwan and Lyle use Logic Pro on macOS as their primary Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).Universal Audio interfaces are used to capture their sounds, which are then processed using UAD plugins. Using the same utilities makes it easier for them to share session files as a significant amount of their work is done remotely, due to living in different areas of the US. However, they will usually get together in the same room a few times during a release's production and will often write and record together while on tour. A release's sound and overall direction are generally created by the two bouncing ideas off each other - McEwan will send Lyle a rough track or beat, which Lyle will then think of lyrics and a title that would go good with the beat, after which McEwan will further build and produce the track. McEwan has stated that the production of a typical The Midnight album takes around three to six months, “from the early gestating part to finish”.
Production and drums are handled by McEwan, with Lyle providing guitar, lyrics, and vocals. Lyle has stated that he writes on a daily basis, and many lyrics come from a large number of fragments he keeps stored in Evernote. Most of the remaining instrumentation is digital, but on occasion songs (including most with saxophone and guitar solos) will at first have digital instruments that are then outsourced to other musicians to play live on the track. Thomas Edinger has been the primary saxophone player for The Midnight's releases, and McEwan's brother Oliver has frequently played bass for the band as well.
For live performances, various setups have been used by the band. Lyle stated that the Spring 2019 tour utilized an Ableton rig, with McEwan using an SPD SX sampling pad and MIDI controller. Lyle ran his guitars through a Kemper profiling amp, and he also used an OP1 for certain synth moments and pads.
Night Skies
The Midnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
The flame's burns hotter the deeper you go in
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
A thousand miles an hour how does it feel?
A million horsepower, no steering wheel
Running off the shoulder asleep on the stage
Exposing cold steel, fire, beauty and rage
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
The flame's burning higher, oh, my Lord
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
The lyrics to The Midnight's song "Night Skies" depict a passionate and intense desire for someone whose presence and essence exude a powerful allure. The repeated line "Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?" symbolizes the urgency and intensity of the singer's longing to be with the person they desire. The metaphor of a burning house implies that the attraction is immense, and the singer wants to immerse themselves completely in the passion and intensity represented by the flames.
The singer describes themselves as "drowning in desire," emphasizing the overwhelming nature of their feelings. The reference to "your hair, your skin" suggests that this person's physical attributes further fuel the singer's infatuation, as they are captivated by their beauty. The line "The flame burns hotter the deeper you go in" suggests that the more the singer engages with this person, the stronger their feelings become.
The second part of the lyrics introduces a newfound energy and intensity. The singer references speed and power with the lines "A thousand miles an hour, how does it feel? A million horsepower, no steering wheel." These lines indicate the exhilarating and reckless nature of their emotions, as they become consumed by their desire. The mention of running off the shoulder and sleeping on the stage could symbolize the risks taken and the desire to be constantly enveloped in this passionate connection.
The last verse introduces the imagery of a sinking ship, a metaphor for a relationship or situation that is falling apart. The singer pleads to be allowed onboard, indicating their willingness to endure the turmoil and challenges that come with this person. The line "The flame's burning higher, oh, my Lord" suggests that even in the face of adversity, the singer's desire remains strong and intensifies.
Overall, "Night Skies" explores the overwhelming desire and intensity that can arise from a profound attraction to someone. It portrays the singer's willingness to risk everything to be with this person, even when faced with potential destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
You are in a state of turmoil and chaos, and I want to be there for you to provide support and solace.
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
I am overwhelmed by the intense longing and passion I feel towards you, captivated by every aspect of your physical being.
The flame's burns hotter the deeper you go in
The intensity and fervor of our connection and love grow stronger as we explore deeper into the depths of our relationship.
A thousand miles an hour how does it feel?
The exhilarating speed of our bond, racing with incredible momentum, how does it make you feel?
A million horsepower, no steering wheel
The immense power and force behind our relationship, propelling us forward without any control or direction.
Running off the shoulder asleep on the stage
We are living life on the edge, taking risks and defying conventions, even when it feels like we are sleepwalking through our own existence.
Exposing cold steel, fire, beauty and rage
Our vulnerability and raw emotions are laid bare, revealing both the strength and passion within us, creating a magnetic combination of beauty and intensity.
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
You are facing difficult times and challenges, and I want to be there to support and help you navigate through them.
The flame's burning higher, oh, my Lord
The intensity of our love and desire continues to escalate, reaching greater heights that leave me in awe and amazement.
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
You are experiencing hardships and struggles, and I want to be there to offer my assistance and be a source of strength for you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Tim McEwan, Tyler Lyle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
spencer mcbride
[Verse 1]
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
The flames burn hotter the deeper you go in
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
The flame burns hotter the deeper you go in
[Verse 2]
One thousand miles an hour, how does it feel?
A million horse power, no steering wheel
Running off the shoulder, asleep on the stage
Exposing cold steel, fire, beauty, and rage
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
The flames burning hotter, oh my Lord
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
Ben Smerglia
Your house is on fire
Won't you let me in
Your house is on fire
Won't you let me in
I'm drowning in desire
Your hair, your skin
The flame burns hotter
The deeper you go in
A thousand miles an hour
How does it feel
A million horsepower
No steering wheel
Riding off the shoulder
Asleep on the stage
Exploding cold steel, fire, beauty,
and rage.
Your ship is sinking
Let me climb aboard
Your ship is sinking
Let me climb aboard
The flames burning higher
Oh, my Lord
Your ship is sinking
Let me climb aboard
spencer mcbride
[Verse 1]
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
The flames burn hotter the deeper you go in
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
Your house is on fire, won't you let me in?
I'm drowning in desire, your hair, your skin
The flame burns hotter the deeper you go in
[Verse 2]
One thousand miles an hour, how does it feel?
A million horse power, no steering wheel
Running off the shoulder, asleep on the stage
Exposing cold steel, fire, beauty, and rage
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
The flames burning hotter, oh my Lord
Your ship is sinking, let me climb aboard
Panzer Edelweiss - Steven Del Mar
@Adage V7 actually the music was designed to drive a Ferrari out of control
pyranomics
@Luke Ellis It is "exploding" as per bandcamp, the most "official" source.
pyranomics
The lyrics are what love feels like... I imagine, I've never been in love >.<
Luke Ellis
I thought it was "Exploding" rather than "Exposing"
Jeremy Maritz
Reminds me so much of something like SLAVE TO LOVE, where it's incredible and infatuating but ultimately doomed.
John Michael
This is that hidden gem in this album, im surprised its not getting more recognition
Brian Poteat
@I ain't Telling honestly, I quite enjoy when a band like The Midnight goes more retro than Synthwave. I find Synthwave music often over emphasizes synths and electronic sounds rather than creating a perfect balance of synths and other retro characteristics of songs. So I find this album to be a 9.5/10, of course music taste is subjective.
Peter Lukáč
@thinkableabcdefg there is million of synthwave artists and wannabe synthwave artist and projects out there. While I love the genre and can listen to it for hours without a pause, the fact is, that most of them just sounds too much similar. It would be too easy for synthwave to get stuck in the same thing again and again, and it's good, that some artists try to evolve it, and to bring new elements and styles in it.
While I understand you, I love The Midnight notably for as they always do something new, and every of their project, while it still sounds as The Midnight at the same time is something new (unlike with some other artists). At first I thought Kids was a bit weaker, after the release, in comparison with Nocturnal and Endless Summer, but then I bought the CD, and after hearing it more times I started to love it. And it is same for me with Monsters, I thought it's good, but not that much good initially, but I am starting to like it more alredy. You have to get into it.
thinkableabcdefg
@Abdullah Alhilali I'm very open minded, and I still am disappointed in it. There are a few good ones like Brooklyn and Last Train, but the majority are just bad