# Volcanic Sunlight

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Volcanic_Sunlight.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_Sunlight
> Source revision: 1291943998
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Volcanic Sunlight
| type = studio
| artist = [Saul Williams](/source/Saul_Williams)
| cover = Saul Williams - Volcanic Sunlight.png
| alt = 
| released = {{Start date|2011|5|10}}
| recorded = 
| studio = 
| genre = [Dance-pop](/source/Dance-pop)
| length = {{Duration|m=55|s=16}}
| label = [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records)
| producer = Renaud Létang
| prev_title = [The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!](/source/The_Inevitable_Rise_and_Liberation_of_NiggyTardust!)
| prev_year = 2007
| next_title = [MartyrLoserKing](/source/MartyrLoserKing)
| next_year = 2016
}}
'''''Volcanic Sunlight''''' is the fourth solo studio album by [Saul Williams](/source/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!](/source/Exclaim!)|first=Gregory|last=Adams|date=December 21, 2011|accessdate=October 9, 2018}}</ref> It was released by [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records) in 2011.

The album features a different approach than his previous albums, embracing a [dance-pop](/source/dance-pop) direction,<ref>{{cite web|last = Brown|first = Marisa|title=A Different Kind of Dance: Saul Williams' ''Volcanic Sunlight''|work = [The Huffington Post](/source/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](/source/funk), [disco](/source/disco), '60s [garage rock](/source/garage_rock), [new wave](/source/New_wave_music), and [dubstep](/source/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](/source/Metacritic)|publisher=[CBS Interactive](/source/CBS_Interactive)|accessdate=October 3, 2018}}</ref>
| rev1 = [AllMusic](/source/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](/source/AllMusic)|first=Thom|last=Jurek|accessdate=October 3, 2018}}</ref>
| rev2 = [Okayplayer](/source/Okayplayer)
| rev2score = 85/100<ref name=okayplayer>{{cite web|url=http://www.okayplayer.com/reviews/saul-williams.html|title=Saul Williams|work=[Okayplayer](/source/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](/source/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](/source/PopMatters)|first=Alexander|last=Heigl|date=November 30, 2011|accessdate=October 3, 2018}}</ref>
}}
At [Metacritic](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Janelle_Mon%C3%A1e)
| 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](/source/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](/source/Janelle_Mon%C3%A1e) – backing vocals (12)
* Thomas Moulin – recording
* [Howie Weinberg](/source/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}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 albums
Category:Saul Williams albums
Category:Columbia Records albums

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Volcanic Sunlight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_Sunlight) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_Sunlight?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.