Britney Spears’ “Alien”: Listen To The William Orbit-Produced ‘Britney Jean’ Track

Robbie Daw | November 18, 2013 6:37 am

It’s a universal truth that William Orbit can do no wrong. This is the Grammy-winning genius, after all, behind Madonna‘s Ray Of Light album, All Saints‘ “Pure Shores” and “Black Coffee,” Madge’s “Beautiful Stranger,” etc. He even managed to make Chris Brown not sound like shit on “Don’t Wake Me Up.”

So here we are with the one (?) song the UK producer worked up for Britney Spears‘ upcoming album Britney Jean. (And thankfully, it’s not “Chillin’ With You” featuring Jamie Lynn Spears, either.) “Alien” starts off with a typical, rippling William Orbit synth reverb — and that’s a good thing, because sometimes you want a producer’s sound to have a familiar warmth. It’s even more comforting given the lackluster performance (and quality) of Spears’ two lead singles off this album, “Work Bitch” and “Perfume.”

Head below to give “Alien” a spin.

Following the ghostly intro, Orbit’s wall of sound  kicks in, one that includes a thick club beat and synthetic string-like chords beneath Britney’s vocals. Here she plays the part of a girl who doesn’t fit in until she meets someone who puts her at ease.

“Cross through the universe to get where you are, travel the night riding on a shooting star,” Spears sings. Perhaps we can chalk this up to one of those personal insights into her life that the album is said to contain.

Britney Spears — “Alien”

It’s worth noting that William Orbit tweeted early this morning that this version of “Alien” will differ slightly from that on the album:

As the lead song on an album, this is pretty much the route you want to take. Pity, then, that Britney was clearly paired up with the wrong William as executive producer of this whole project. After all, who better to deliver the singer with her very own Ray Of Light — which, in so many words, Britney Jean is being touted by Spears’ camp as — than Orbit himself?

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