Cycles (song)

2017 promotional single by Tove Lo

"Cycles"
Promotional single by Tove Lo
from the album Blue Lips
Released	17 November 2017 (2017-11-17)
Genre	Synth-pop
Length	3:28
Label	Republic
Songwriter(s)	Tove Lo Joe Janiak Ludvig Söderberg Jakob Jerlström
Producer(s)	The Struts

"Cycles" (stylized as "cycles" on the tracklist) is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo, from her third studio album, Blue Lips. It was released on 17 November 2017 as a promotional single. It was written by Tove Lo, Joe Janiak, Ludvig Söderberg and produced by The Struts. Lyrically, it talks about being trapped in a never-ending relationship loop. A music video directed by Malia James was released on 4 December 2018.

Composition

"Cycles" is a three-minute, twenty-eight-second synth-pop song, written by Tove Lo, Joe Janiak, Ludvig Söderberg and produced by The Sturts. Written in the key of G major, "Cycles" has a tempo of 105 beats per minute and features "baby-cry production, is dripping with self-deprecation."^[1]^[2] Lyrically, the song is about being trapped in a never-ending relationship loop, indicated by the lines: "How can I change it when I don't know when I'm in it?/ I'm in a cycle/ Swear this is different/ Don't wanna end it/ If you leave then I keep spinnin'". According to Xavier Piedra from Billboard she "sings in the chorus while she holds her head in frustration."^[3]

Critical reception

Danny Madion of The Michigan Daily wrote that the song "walks listeners through a narrative of falling in love with an ex-lover. It's sad and earnest but doesn't lead to a notable chorus you’d sing in the car.".^[4] Alex Clarke of The Observer described "Cycles" and "Stranger" as "honest depictions of love that are nothing in the way of cliché."^[5]

Music video

The music video for "Cycles" was directed by Malia James and it was released on 4 December 2018 on her Vevo channel. It was filmed as a one-shot and it was initially previewed in her short film Blue Lips in the post-credits scene where she spins around in a chair while the camera circles around her in blurry motion while lights are flashing all over her body.^[3]^[6]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[7]

Tove Lo − vocals, songwriter
Ludvig Söderberg − songwriter
Joe Janiak − songwriter
Jakob Jerlström − songwriter, backing vocalist
The Struts − producer, programmer
Chris Gehringer − mastering engineer
John Hanes − assistant mixer
Serban Ghenea − mixer

Charts

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Sweden (Veckolista Heatseeker)^[8]	7

References

^ Kheraj, Alim (17 November 2017). "Tove Lo: Blue Lips Album Review". DIY. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
^ "Key and BPM for Cycles by Tove Lo". Song Key BPM. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
^ ^a ^b Piedra, Xavier (4 December 2018). "Tove Lo Spins Around in Neon Circles for 'Cycles' Music Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
^ Madion, Danny (21 November 2017). "Tove Lo turns to a sadder brand of pop on 'Blue Lips'". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
^ Clarke, Alex (30 November 2017). "Head to toe Tove Lo". The Observer. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
^ Wass, Mike (4 December 2018). "Visual Queen! Tove Lo Drops Dizzying 'Cycles' Video". Idolator. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
^ "Tove Lo / BLUE LIPS ([lady wood phase II]) TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 47, 24 november 2017" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 8 January 2018.