Coldest Winter (song)

"Coldest Winter"
Song by Kanye West
from the album 808s & Heartbreak
Recorded 2008
Genre
Length 2:44
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Coldest Winter" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West, from his fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak. It was produced by West, with co-production from No I.D. and additional production from Jeff Bhasker.[1] The track was covered by a cappella group Pentatonix on their 2016 album A Pentatonix Christmas.[2]

Composition and recording

Lyrics from 1983 track "Memories Fade" by Tears for Fears are quoted, but changed slightly within parts of the song and synths are sampled from it as well as this.[3] Co-producer No I.D. revealed that he was the one who came across "Memories Fade" and played it for West - as soon as No I.D. heard West make usage of the sample, he knew it was special.[4] "Coldest Winter" is centered around the passing of Kanye's mother Donda West.[5]

Release

On October 16, 2008, an excerpt of the track was released by West on the radio station Power 106 in Los Angeles, around one month before the featuring album was released.[6] A slightly revamped version of it was used when West released the music video in February 2010.[7]

Critical reception

Consequence of Sound branded the song's position as the closing track as showing in conjunction to West's previous three studio albums that: '808s slams the door on it all, explaining why there’s so much hate, self-aggrandizing, and animosity on everything of his that’s come out since'.[8] Pitchfork pointed out 'the 909 and descending synth' of "Coldest Winter" as being: 'among the sonic highlights' of the album.[9]

Live performances

When West performed the first concert in New York City on The Yeezus Tour, the track was part of his set list.[10] At the 2015 Hollywood Bowl, West performed the song live with fake snow, which gathered notable attention from his fanbase.[11] The snow was unleashed above the audience during the performance.[12]

Music video

The music video was released on the internet on February 14, 2010 and was directed by Nabil Elderkin.[13] A revamped version of "Coldest Winter" was used for the audio of the video.[7] In the music video, a bride is depicted running through a forest in slow motion and West doesn't appear at all.[13] Elderkin said of West's approach to his videos at the time:

He didn't want to be in 'Paranoid,' to be honest. There was more Kanye in 'Paranoid' [originally], and I took him out. He's just cool right now with putting out visuals that fit the song without having to be in it. I think he's in that place in his life where right now he just wants to make art.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 808s & Heartbreak. Roc-A-Fella Records (Media notes). Kanye West. 2008. 0-06025-1791919-8.
  2. ↑ "Pentatonix's Chilling Cover of Kanye West's "Coldest Winter" May Make You Cry". One Country. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Tears for Fears: 10 Best Samples". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  4. ↑ "No I.D. Tells All: The Stories Behind His Classic Records". Complex. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Kanye West's mom died in 2007. Judging by his tweets, it seems to still haunt him". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kanye West's Messy Album Releases: A Brief History From College Dropout to YE". W Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Video: Kanye West: "Coldest Winter"". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Dusting 'Em Off: Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Kanye West: 808s and Heartbreak Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Concert review: Kanye West startles, appalls during 'Yeezus' show at Barclays". New York Daily News. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Kanye West performs 808s & Heartbreak in full for the first time - watch". NME. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Can we talk about Kanye West's uncharacteristically endearing '808s' show at the Hollywood Bowl?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Kanye West Returns With 'Coldest Winter' Video". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Kanye West Didn't Want To Be In 'Coldest Winter' Video". MTV. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
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