{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Volcanic Sunlight | type = studio | artist = Saul Williams | cover = Saul Williams - Volcanic Sunlight.png | alt = | released = {{Start date|2011|5|10}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = Dance-pop | length = {{Duration|m=55|s=16}} | label = Columbia Records | producer = Renaud Létang | prev_title = The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust! | prev_year = 2007 | next_title = MartyrLoserKing | next_year = 2016 }} '''''Volcanic Sunlight''''' is the fourth solo studio album by Saul Williams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/saul_williams_to_take_volcanic_sunlight_on_north_american_tour|title=Saul Williams to Take 'Volcanic Sunlight' on North American Tour|work=Exclaim!|first=Gregory|last=Adams|date=December 21, 2011|accessdate=October 9, 2018}}</ref> It was released by Columbia Records in 2011.
The album features a different approach than his previous albums, embracing a dance-pop direction,<ref>{{cite web|last = Brown|first = Marisa|title=A Different Kind of Dance: Saul Williams' ''Volcanic Sunlight''|work = The Huffington Post|date=2012-01-24|url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/modiba/saul-williams-volcanic-sunlight_b_1225437.html|accessdate = October 2, 2012}}</ref> with various influences from funk, disco, '60s garage rock, new wave, and dubstep.<ref name=allmusic/>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 73/100<ref name=metacritic>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/volcanic-sunlight/saul-williams|title=Volcanic Sunlight by Saul Williams|work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=October 3, 2018}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/volcanic-sunlight-mw0002138478|title=Volcanic Sunlight - Saul Williams|work=AllMusic|first=Thom|last=Jurek|accessdate=October 3, 2018}}</ref> | rev2 = Okayplayer | rev2score = 85/100<ref name=okayplayer>{{cite web|url=http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/saul-williams.html|title=Saul Williams|work=Okayplayer|first=Dylan|last=Grier|accessdate=November 1, 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119235608/http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/saul-williams.html|archivedate=November 19, 2011}}</ref> | rev3 = ''PopMatters'' | rev3score = {{Rating|6|10}}<ref name=popmatters>{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/151500-saul-williams-volcanic-sunlight-2495915726.html|title=Saul Williams: Volcanic Sunlight|work=PopMatters|first=Alexander|last=Heigl|date=November 30, 2011|accessdate=October 3, 2018}}</ref> }} At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 73% based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref name=metacritic/>
Alexander Heigl of ''PopMatters'' gave the album 6 stars out of 10, calling it "a solid, finely-tuned album that reveals new turns and tricks with every listen."<ref name=popmatters/> Dylan Grier of Okayplayer gave the album an 85 out of 100, writing: "this album is, in many ways, much simpler than many of his previous offerings, but may leave listeners more confounded than ever."<ref name=okayplayer/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = Saul Williams, except "Girls Have More Fun" by Williams and CX KiDTRONiK | title1 = Look to the Sun | length1 = 4:08 | title2 = Patience | length2 = 3:52 | title3 = Explain My Heart | length3 = 4:15 | title4 = Triumph | length4 = 6:03 | title5 = Diagram | length5 = 3:47 | title6 = Girls Have More Fun | note6 = also known as "Girls on Saturn" | length6 = 2:27 | title7 = Give It Up | length7 = 4:12 | title8 = Dance | note8 = featuring Janelle Monáe | length8 = 3:35 | title9 = Volcanic Sunlight | length9 = 3:56 | title10 = Rocket | length10 = 3:52 | title11 = Fall Up | length11 = 4:17 | title12 = Innocence | length12 = 5:43 | title13 = New Day | length13 = 5:14 }}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from liner notes.
* Saul Williams – lead vocals, songwriting, arrangement, guitar (3), bass guitar (13), keyboards (2–5, 7–11, 13), percussion (3) * Renaud Létang – production, arrangement, keyboards (1–8, 10–13), guitar (1–5, 7, 8, 10–13), bass guitar (1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12), percussion (3, 6), tambourine (13), piano (13), mixing * David Sztanke – keyboards (1, 5–11, 13) * Vincent Taeger – drums (1, 2, 4–9, 12, 13), tambourine (13) * Vincent Taeger – percussion (1, 12) * Lippie – backing vocals (2) * Julien Chirol – brass (2, 9, 10, 13), trombone (3), flute (3) * Lionel Segui – brass (2, 9, 10, 13), trombone (3), tuba (3) * Misha Cliquennois – brass (2, 9, 10, 13), trumpet (3), horn (3) * Mamané Thiam – percussion (3, 4) * Denis Teste – keyboards (4) * Saturn – backing vocals (6, 8) * Deep Cotton – backing vocals (12) * Janelle Monáe – backing vocals (12) * Thomas Moulin – recording * Howie Weinberg – mastering
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|442905|Volcanic Sunlight}} * {{MusicBrainz release group|mbid=8ceea044-1b47-4122-8de7-538a563317a0|name=Volcanic Sunlight}}
{{Saul Williams}}
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Category:2011 albums Category:Saul Williams albums Category:Columbia Records albums