Recorded 2015 Length 3:57 | Genre Synthpop Label VirginGoodbye | |
Released 17 July 2015 (2015-07-17) Format 12" vinyldigital download | ||
"Leave a Trace" is a song by Scottish synthpop band Chvrches from their second studio album Every Open Eye. It was released as the band's first official single on 17 July 2015 via Virgin and Goodbye Records.
Contents
Background
During an interview with Pitchfork, Lauren Mayberry said of the song:
“Leave a Trace” is the middle finger mic-drop. It’s about that point where you’re like, “There’s no point having this conversation anyways: There will be no resolve, I won’t feel better about it, you won’t feel better about it, no outcome from this will actually change my reality.” It makes me feel better to write about that—I’ve done something constructive with it. You don’t put that on other people, you put that into what you do. That’s always the way I’ve written lyrics. My ex-partners are not friends with me, but I’m OK with that.
Release history
"Leave a Trace" was streamed on the band's official SoundCloud page.
Critical reception
The song received generally positive reviews. Luke Winstanley of Clash wrote, "'Leave a Trace' is another highlight, outrageously infectious and immediate, all centred around a gentle but persistent bass pulse." Sam Shepherd of musicOMH wrote, "Leave a Trace finds Mayberry certain of her feelings and finding closure, and delivering a sweet vocal that drills deep into the pleasure centres." Abby Johnston of The Austin Chronicle called Mayberry's performance in the song "at the level of a modern-day Cyndi Lauper."
Rolling Stone placed "Leave a Trace" at number 24 on its list of the 50 Best Songs of 2015. Billboard ranked "Leave a Trace" at number fourteen on its year-end list: "On 'Leave a Trace', Iain Cook and Martin Doherty’s fine-tuned swirls of synthesizer are just begging for a killer hook, and Mayberry -- singing with more swagger than ever before -- hammers it home."
Music video
A music video for the song was released on 17 August 2015.
Consequence of Sound said of the music video:
In the atmospheric video for “Leave A Trace”, Lauren Mayberry takes center stage and proves yet again why she’s quickly risen the ranks among indie’s foremost frontwomen. Confident yet vulnerable, seductive yet fierce, Mayberry refuses to be pigeonholed into one singular personality. It’s all the more striking when considering she’s spent the last year fighting back against Internet trolls for sexist and misogynistic comments. Mayberry can be sexy, but she can also kick your ass.
Track listing
All tracks written by Chvrches.