Did everyone go on about this 6 months ago and I just missed it?
Somebody That I Used To Know spent 8 weeks at the top of the Australian chart, and had huge success in other parts of Europe, including becoming the biggest-hit-ever in Poland where it spent 15 weeks at the number 1 spot. It passed me by completely.
The record and video suddenly seem to be everywhere now though and it’s quite something.
Gotye is Wouter De Backer, born in Belgium but living in Australia. Somebody That I Used To Know is a sad song about the end of a relationship, and everyone loves those. It’s fairly unremarkable until 1.33, when Gotye’s voice explodes into some sort of early nineties soft rock yearning ballad mode and then a minute later when kiwi singer Kimbra joins in. They combine for one wonderful chorus. Cor.
There’s a nice remix by Warp Records’ Bibio too:
Want to know more about Gotye? Read this ridiculous biog. You should check out Kibra too, she’s got a heck of a voice. Here’s where you go for Bibio.
This is one of those songs that someone at work asked me had I heard it, I said no, but ever since she bought it to my attention, it feels like people around me are talking about it daily. This review is basically what I would have said. Aces.