Uptight Downtown

"Uptight Downtown" is a song by English singer Elly Jackson, known professionally as La Roux, from her second studio album, Trouble in Paradise (2014). It was written and produced by Jackson and Ian Sherwin, with additional writing from Ben Langmaid. The song premiered on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 27 May 2014,[2] and was released as the album's lead single the following day. La Roux performed the track on Good Morning America on 11 June 2014.[3]

"Uptight Downtown"
Single by La Roux
from the album Trouble in Paradise
Released28 May 2014 (2014-05-28)
GenreElectropop[1]
Length4:22
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Ian Sherwin
  • Elly Jackson
La Roux singles chronology
"I'm Not Your Toy"
(2009)		 "Uptight Downtown"
(2014)		 "Kiss and Not Tell"
(2014)

Background and writing

Jackson wrote "Uptight Downtown" loosely about the London riots of August 2011. "The recent Brixton riots had nowhere near as much positive impact as the ones in the '80s, which we were far more directed [at the police]", she told NME in June 2014. "I'm not making any political points here and I always want to stay away from politics, so that song is about the feeling of the riots—the energy in Brixton at the time—and the fact that I had never seen my generation in London stand up for anything before. Whether it was right or not to riot, or whether anything changed, is not for me to say, but I knew afterwards that I wanted to write a song called 'Uptight Downtown'."[4]

"Uptight Downtown" was one of the five songs that Jackson's former La Roux bandmate Ben Langmaid co-wrote on Trouble in Paradise,[5] following his departure from the duo in February 2012.[6]

Critical reception

"Uptight Downtown" received positive reviews from music critics. Ben Hewitt of Digital Spy described the track as "electro-pop magic, with its shimmering, Chic-like guitars and taut backdrop."[1] Robbie Daw of Idolator called it "a frenetic pop gem with a slinky bass, reverb-filled synth riffs and Jackson's trademark layered vocals."[7] Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound praised "Uptight Downtown" as "[a]n impressive marrying of modern electro-pop and '70s disco flair".[8]

Aimee Cliff of Fact magazine wrote that the song's "soaring falsetto chorus and funky propulsive rhythm show Jackson's as much on a bulletproof mission as ever."[9] Although Max Cussons of Contactmusic.com found the lyrics unimpressing and felt that the song "doesn't tread new ground in the [disco] genre", he stated that the song "proves Jackson's unmistakable vocals are capable of being sassy and fun as well as soulful and emotional", and opined that it "serves as an indicator for Trouble In Paradise to be a promising album that will be well worth the five year wait."[10]

Commercial performance

"Uptight Downtown" debuted at number 63 on the UK Singles Chart, selling 5,740 copies in its first week.[11]

Track listings
  • Digital download and UK limited-edition 12-inch single[12][13]
  1. "Uptight Downtown" – 4:22
  • Digital download – Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Remix[14]
  1. "Uptight Downtown" (Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Remix) – 3:21
  1. "Uptight Downtown" – 4:22
  2. "Uptight Downtown" (Midnight Magic Remix) – 7:47
  3. "Uptight Downtown" (Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Remix) – 3:23

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Trouble in Paradise.[16]

  • Ian Sherwin – production, engineering, bass guitar, drum programming, percussion, mixing
  • Elly Jackson – production, vocals, guitar, piano, synthesiser, percussion, mixing
  • Ed Seed – pick guitar
  • Steve White – live drums
  • William Bowerman – clash hats
  • Tim Baxter – piano
  • Alan Moulder – mixing
  • John Catlin – mixing assistance
  • Caesar Edmunds – mixing assistance
  • John Dent – mastering

Charts
Chart (2014) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[17] 4
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[18] 10
Finnish Airplay (Radiosoittolista)[19] 95
Poland (Dance Top 50)[20] 40
Scotland (OCC)[21] 50
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 63
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[23] 29

Release history
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
Germany 28 May 2014 Digital download Original Universal [24]
Australia 29 May 2014 [25]
France [26]
United States 3 June 2014
[27]
15 July 2014 Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Remix [14]
Ireland 18 July 2014 Original Polydor [28]
United Kingdom 21 July 2014
[12][13]

References
  1. Hewitt, Ben (2 July 2014). "La Roux Trouble In Paradise album review: "Wall-to-wall bangers"". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  2. Minsker, Evan (27 May 2014). "La Roux Releases New Single "Uptight Downtown"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  3. Beauchemin, Molly (9 June 2014). "La Roux Shares New Song "Tropical Chancer"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  4. Hebblethwaite, Phil (21 June 2014). "Sound Vision". NME. p. 53. ISSN 0028-6362.
  5. "Ben Langmaid 'truly saddened' by his departure from La Roux". NME. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  6. Smirke, Richard (19 May 2014). "La Roux Returns After 'Burnout' and Vocal Problems: 'I Wasn't As Hardcore As I Thought'". Billboard. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  7. Daw, Robbie (27 May 2014). "La Roux's Uptight Downtown Listen To The 'Trouble In Paradise' Single". Idolator. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  8. Geslani, Michelle (27 May 2014). "Listen: La Roux's new single "Uptight Downtown"". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  9. Cliff, Aimee (4 August 2014). "Trouble in Paradise". Fact. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  10. Cussons, Max (2 June 2014). "Review of Uptight Downtown Single by La Roux". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  11. Jones, Alan (28 July 2014). "Official Charts Analysis: Sheeran's X sells 33k copies to spend fifth week at No.1". Music Week. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  12. "Uptight Downtown: La Roux: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (UK). Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  13. "La Roux – Uptight Downtown". Piccadilly Records. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  14. "Uptight Downtown (Cherry Cherry Boom Boom Remix): La Roux: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (US). Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  15. "Uptight Downtown" (HMV exclusive CD single). La Roux. Polydor Records. 2014. 3795312.CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. Trouble in Paradise (liner notes). La Roux. Polydor Records. 2014. 2094302.CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. "Ultratop.be – La Roux – Uptight Downtown" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  18. "Ultratop.be – La Roux – Uptight Downtown" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  19. "La Roux: Uptight Downtown" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  20. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Dance Top 50. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  21. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  22. "La Roux: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  23. "La Roux Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  24. "Uptight Downtown: La Roux: MP3-Downloads" (in German). Amazon (Germany). Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  25. "Uptight Downtown by La Roux". zdigital (Australia). Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  26. "Uptight Downtown: La Roux: Téléchargements MP3" (in French). Amazon (France). Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  27. "Uptight Downtown: La Roux: MP3 Downloads". Amazon (US). Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  28. "Uptight Downtown by La Roux". 7digital (Ireland). Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
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