Studio Album · No. 4

Give Me the Future Songwriting Credits by Bastille

2022 EMI Records 13 tracks 32 min

Produced by Dan Smith, Mark Crew, Ryan Tedder, Dan Priddy, Marty Maro, Jonny Coffer  ·  Engineered by Mark Crew

EMI Records Synth-PopAlternative RockPop
92%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 12 of 13 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 12 / 13 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bastille carries a lyricist or composer credit.

92%
12 trackswritten by Bastille 1 trackoutside writers
Bastille's roles on this album

Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist92%
Composer92%
Producer92%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

13
Tracks
11
Lyricists
7
Producers
2022
Released
Data Insight

Give Me the Future runs on the Dan Smith and Mark Crew partnership that has driven Bastille since the start. Smith is the band's near-sole lyricist and central composer, and Crew co-writes and produces nearly every track. The composer column carries their legal names, Daniel Campbell Smith and Mark Blair Crew, alongside Ryan Benjamin Tedder on 'Distorted Light Beam' and 'Club 57.' A rotating cast of outside writers, Rami Yacoub, Plested, Jonny Coffer, and others, joins on individual songs, but the record stays firmly Smith's vision. The one clear exception is 'Promises,' written and voiced entirely by guest Riz Ahmed under his legal name, Rizwan Ahmed.

Give Me the Future is the fourth studio album by the British band Bastille, released on 4 February 2022 through EMI Records. It is a concept album about technology, virtual reality, and the anxious pull between escaping into digital worlds and staying present in real life. Frontman Dan Smith wrote the record with his longtime production partner Mark Crew, alongside co-writes with Ryan Tedder, Rami Yacoub, Plested, and Jonny Coffer, and it threads spoken-word interludes and a guest turn from actor Riz Ahmed through its synth-driven pop. Singles included 'Distorted Light Beam,' 'Give Me the Future,' 'Thelma + Louise,' 'No Bad Days,' and 'Shut Off the Lights.' The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, giving Bastille their third UK chart-topper. It was later expanded with a companion mixtape, Dreams of the Past, for a super deluxe reissue.

Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Distorted Light Beam
Dan SmithMark CrewRyan TedderMarty Maro Daniel Campbell SmithMark Blair CrewRyan Benjamin TedderMarty Maro Dan SmithMark CrewRyan TedderMarty Maro Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
2
Thelma + Louise
Dan SmithRami YacoubMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithRami YacoubMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark CrewDan Priddy Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
3
No Bad Days
Dan SmithPlestedMark CrewDan Priddy Daniel Campbell SmithPlestedMark Blair CrewDan Priddy Dan SmithMark CrewDan Priddy Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
4
Brave New World (interlude)
Dan SmithRami Yacoub Daniel Campbell SmithRami Yacoub Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
5
Back to the Future
Dan SmithRami YacoubMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithRami YacoubMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
6
Plug In...
Dan Smith Daniel Campbell Smith Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
7
Promises (feat. Riz Ahmed)
Riz Ahmed Rizwan Ahmed Riz Ahmed Riz Ahmed (Spoken Word)
8
Shut Off the Lights
Dan SmithPlestedJonny CofferMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithPlestedJonny CofferMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark CrewJonny Coffer Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
9
Stay Awake?
Dan SmithRami YacoubMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithRami YacoubMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark CrewDan Priddy Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
10
Give Me the Future
Dan SmithRalph PelleymounterMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithRalph PelleymounterMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
11
Club 57
Dan SmithRyan TedderMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithRyan Benjamin TedderMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
12
Total Dissociation (interlude)
Dan SmithRalph PelleymounterMark Crew Daniel Campbell SmithRalph PelleymounterMark Blair Crew Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)
13
Future Holds (feat. Bim)
Dan SmithMark CrewDuxbury Daniel Campbell SmithMark Blair CrewDuxbury Dan SmithMark Crew Dan Smith (Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Programming)Bim (Featured Vocals)Kyle Simmons (Keyboards, Background Vocals)Will Farquarson (Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals)Chris Wood (Drums, Background Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 19 contributors

More from Bastille

Frequently Asked Questions Give Me the Future

Who wrote Give Me the Future?
Dan Smith wrote the album with his production partner Mark Crew, with co-writes from Ryan Tedder, Rami Yacoub, Plested, Jonny Coffer, and others on individual tracks.
What is Give Me the Future about?
It is a concept album about technology, virtual reality, and escapism, weighing the pull of digital worlds against the value of being present in real life.
Did Give Me the Future reach number one?
Yes. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, Bastille's third UK chart-topper.
Who produced the album?
Dan Smith and Mark Crew produced most of it, with contributions from Ryan Tedder, Dan Priddy, Marty Maro, and Jonny Coffer on specific tracks.
Who is the guest on 'Promises'?
Actor and rapper Riz Ahmed wrote, produced, and performed the spoken-word track 'Promises' himself.
What are the singles from Give Me the Future?
The singles were 'Distorted Light Beam,' 'Give Me the Future,' 'Thelma + Louise,' 'No Bad Days,' and 'Shut Off the Lights.'
What genre is Give Me the Future?
It is a synth-pop and alternative rock record with strong pop and electronic influences built around Dan Smith's vocals and heavy synth programming.

Sources