MGMT – Electric Feel

This classic by MGMT is centered on a certain female who has the titular “electric feel”, so to speak. Said attribute is tantamount to a super power or special ability. And what it seems to amount to is she being able to “shock” the world, as in inject a certain amount of energy into it. Moreover this is a sensation which we can deduce, if nothing else, that the singer thoroughly enjoys.

But the aforementioned description of this lady, as you probably already guessed, is more symbolic than literal. So for a listener to conclude that the singer is actually referring to, say a romantic interest is erroneous. In fact he is not actually referring to a person at all. Rather as Andrew VanWyngarden has stately bluntly in front of the entire world, this song is actually substances that intoxicate.

And as such, the “electric” feeling being described throughout would be an allusion to what a person experiences when intoxicated. And the aforementioned female character would actually be a personification of the intoxicating substance itself.

Conclusion

So in getting straight to the point, the best way to describe “Electric Feel”, in blunt honesty, would apparently be by classifying it as an ode to intoxicating substances. For all things considered it is pretty obvious that the “electric feel”, i.e. high they induce, is something which the narrator enjoys. And he sees these substances as having the ability to “change the world”, as in being a type of recreation, if you will, which many of people outside of himself partake of also.

Music Video

There are a couple of different music videos to this “Electric Feel”. At least one of them, which was actually interactive, was directed by Ray Tintori.

Release Date of “Electric Feel”

This song was released by Columbia Records and Red Ink Records on 2 October 2007 as part of MGMT’s maiden album, “Oracular Spectacular”. It was also later reissued as the second single from that project.

Performance on the Global Charts

“Electric Feel” charted in seven countries. This includes making it onto the UK Singles Chart as well as Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles. In the latter case, its peak at number 14 was aided by a rendition of the song as performed by Preston Pohl, a contestant on “The Voice”.

And whereas its chart showing may not have been overly impressive, NME did rank this song amongst the top five in its 2008 ranking of the “Track of the Year 2008”.

Moreover this song was remixed in 2008 by a French duo called Justice to considerable success, as that rendition actually took home a Grammy in the category of Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical the following year.

Writing Credits for “Electric Feel”

“Electric Feel” was written by the two members of MGMT, Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden.

And the track was produced by another individual by the name of Dave Fridmann.

Covers/Sampling of “Electric Feel”

Katy Perry is another notable artist who has covered this song. And certain parts of the tune have also been used by the likes of Beyoncé and the late rapper Nipsey Hussle.