Background
According to Mike Shinoda, "Lost In The Echo", called "Holding Company" while being worked on, was a defining moment for the album, and helped them decide the direction of the album.[1] Mike also discussed how it was the first time in years the band was opening to writing songs that sounded like traditional Linkin Park, stating "The past two years, whenever I brought anything in that sounded very much like Linkin Park -- the thing that people think Linkin Park is supposed to be -- the guys in the band kind of really turned away from it. For an album, I bring in anywhere between twenty-five to seventy-five demos to arrive at what we end up choosing for the record. Especially on the last two albums, a lot of those rough ideas can be really similar to what end up on the album or they can be just the egg that it hatches from. The thing about "Lost in the Echo" was it sounded a lot like what the "song" sounds like, I think. When the guys heard it, I kind of said to them, "What do you think about that?" and their responses, for the first time in a few years, were pretty good. They were like, "Yeah, we hear the merit. Let's develop that idea. Let's see what we want to do." I said to them, "You know, this is like a real moment for us, now, on this album." On the last two albums, if I brought in something like this, not everyone would've given it the green light; they would've said, "Oh, this sounds too predictable." But clearly, we're at a moment where we're bridging a gap between what we've been doing and the future of the band, so that was one of those songs that kind of set the bar."
In a Reddit AMA on August 12, 2015, Mike talked about the beginnings of "Lost In The Echo": "I'm constantly writing--on my phone, laptop, in my studio. From hundreds of demos, a handful of songs stand out, and we flesh those out. They can start from anything--Lost In The Echo began with an iphone recording of a children's cat keyboard toy, which I put in iMaschine (an iPhone sampler app), then took to the studio."'[2]
About the meaning behind the song and its video, Mike said, "The idea of the song and the video at its core really has to do with finding issues in the baggage that is weighing you down and letting go of it."[3]
Remix
"Lost In The Echo" got an official remix done by KillSonik, which was released on the digital single for "Lost In The Echo", and later used as the third track on the band's second remix album, Recharged. Shorter versions of the remix were released on KillSonik's official YouTube channel, and a slightly longer edit was released on the "Lost In The Echo" UK single. Two remixes of the song, one by The Dual Personality and one by Soundcrafters, were supposed to be released to people who had pre-ordered Living Things, since they had won the remix contest the band had set up, but never were. Joe Hahn even commented on The Dual Personality's remix of "Lost In The Echo", saying "Great remix by The Dual Personality. A progressive, club friendly track, that I will definitely spin. Very moody and smooth, kinda like a good whisky."
Tracklist
Promo Single
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lost In The Echo | Linkin Park | 3:25 |
| 2 | Lost In The Echo (Instrumental) | Linkin Park | 3:25 |
Digital Single
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lost In The Echo | Linkin Park | 3:25 |
| 2 | Lost In The Echo (KillSonik Remix) | Linkin Park | 5:09 |
| 3 | Lost In The Echo (KillSonik Remix Edit) | Linkin Park | 3:30 |
Music Video
The music video for "Lost In The Echo" was co-directed by Jason Zada and Jason Nickel and was filmed in Detroit, Michigan[4] from July 1[5] to July 2, 2012[6]. Zada said, "It’s sort of sad that we went to Detroit to shoot the apocalypse, but at the same time I think that there’s a lot of really, really beautiful old architecture that’s been just left alone there."
The video stars the rapper and actor Gino The Ghost[7], with actress and models Melanie Boria[8] and Carly Francavilla[9] also being part of the cast.
Gino grew up listening to Linkin Park's music and fell in love with hip hop after listening to Hybrid Theory. He said Mike's inspired him to get into the music business. So when the opportunity came, he auditioned for the music video through his talent agency and got the job. He and Carly had actually known each other for a long time. They grew up in the same area and are close friends. Throughout the filming, the cast was directed by Jason Zada and producer Luke McCullough, with no involvement from the band.[10]
Aaron Ray, head of digital at The Collective and responsible for the management of Linkin Park’s digital assets said "the fact that virtually nothing has changed in making videos in 25 years" drove the band do something risky to push the boundaries of music, video and fan engagement by doing something never done before.
The "Lost In The Echo" video follows a man with a briefcase in a post-apocalyptic future where photographs don't exist anymore. He then proceeds to opens his case revealing snapshots to on-screen characters, who then freak out in a craze of extreme emotions at the sight of these photos, which come directly from the Facebook accounts of the viewer and the viewer's most popular friends.[11]
Besides for the pictures in the suitcase, the band do not appear in the video, but Mike Shinoda worked closely with Zada and Nickel to make the interactive video happen. "This album ended up being very much about ‘you’ and ‘me,' so when it came time to think about this video … the idea of doing something that was also very personal and connected to somebody’s memories — you know, the things in people that they’re not letting go, that maybe they’re hung up on or have issues with — to do a video that touched on some of that felt like it fit with the song really well."
Zada and Nickel wanted to allow the user to view the experience with minimal interaction, so they explored a similar territory they did with their award-winning interactive horror short Take This Lollipop. It utilizes Facebook Connect to pull in the images and insert them into the storyline. The images are essentially composited in real-time using flash and each play of the video will be slightly different, even if the same viewer is watching.
Some of the people at the label fought the band over the video because the label simply wanted to put a static version up on their website, YouTube and Vimeo a month before the interactive version was ready. Mike however, insisted that "even if they look 99 percent similar, the Facebook-connected version is so much more interesting".
While testing the video with their secret Facebook accounts, the band members got some results Mike called "hilarious." "If we’re watching this video and a picture of your dinner comes up and people are, you know, crying hysterically over that, I think that’s one of the things that can make this video great."[12]
The Flash-based and Facebook connected interactive version of the video premiered on August 29, 2012 through the website lostintheecho.com.[13] A non-interactive version was uploaded to Linkin Park's official YouTube channel on September 4, 2012.[14]
Credits:[15]
- Artist: Linkin Park
- Song: "Lost in The Echo"
- Label: Warner Bros.
- Director(s): Jason Zada
- Production co: Tool of North America
- Producer: Dustin Callif
- Commissioner: Devin Sarno
Versions
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
Studio
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost In The Echo | Living Things
Lost In The Echo Kokowääh 2 Soundwave 2013 |
3:25 | 2012 | June 20, 2012 | |
| Holding Company (2011 Demo) | LP Underground XIII | 5:02 | 2011 | November 18, 2013 | |
| Lost In The Echo (Instrumental) | Living Things (Acapellas and Instrumentals)
Lost In The Echo (Promo) |
3:25 | 2012 | September 11, 2012 |
|
| Lost In The Echo (Acapella) | Living Things (Acapellas and Instrumentals) | 2:56 | 2012 | September 11, 2012 |
|
Remix
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost In The Echo (KillSonik Remix) | Lost In The Echo (Digital Single)
Lost In The Echo (DK Promo CD) Living Things (AU Tour Edition) |
5:09 | 2012 | October 5, 2012 | |
| Lost In the Echo (Killsonik Remix) (Edit) | Lost In The Echo (UK Digital Single)
Lost In The Echo (DK Promo CD) |
3:30 | 2012 | October 5, 2012 | |
| Lost In The Echo (KillSonik Remix) | 2:41 | 2012 | July 30, 2012 |
| |
| Lost In The Echo (The Dual Personality Remix) | 6:17 | 2012 |
| ||
| Lost In The Echo (Soundcrafters Remix) | 4:17 | 2012 |
|
Live
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost In The Echo | Live In Monterrey | September 12, 2012 | June 13, 2014 |
| |
| Lost In The Echo (Live In LA 9.8.12) | The Hunting Party (Xbox Music) | 3:57 | September 08, 2012 | June 21, 2014 |
|
Live
"Lost In The Echo" got its debut live at a small performance at SiriusXM's Town Hall. This was one of only two performances of the song where it didn't have it's extended intro, the other being the iHeart Radio performance. This extended intro featured the synth of the demo version of "Lost In The Echo", titled "Holding Company". During the Honda Civic Tour, and all other tours during 2012, "Lost In The Echo" was played after "The Catalyst" in Sets A and B, and opened the encore in Set C. During the last show of 2012, at KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas, "Lost In The Echo" opened the set for the first, and only so far, time. The 2013 setlists were largely similar to the 2012 sets, with the exception of the introduction of festival versions of Sets A and B, where the band dropped "The Catalyst", and "Lost In The Echo" was played after "Castle Of Glass" instead.
In early 2014, where the band played three one-off shows, "Lost In The Echo" was performed at only two of them, both immediately following "LOATR/SOTD/Iridescent". However, once the touring cycle for The Hunting Party officially kicked off at KFMA Day 2014, things got a bit more interesting for "Lost In The Echo". Like many other songs in the set, it was shortened to not include the first chorus and second verse, and it featured a new drum transition outro, leading directly into "Crawling". This is also the first full show to not feature the song's extended intro. Once the band kicked off the Carnivores Tour in summer 2014, "Lost In The Echo" was shortened further, featuring only its intro, first verse, first chorus, and outro. It was also given a brief extended intro in Set A, since it opened the encore. Starting in 2015, "Lost In The Echo" was performed in only Set B, after "Burn It Down". After the ill-fated Winter North American tour, "Lost In The Echo" was dropped from the sets, and hasn't been performed since.
Variations
Last Updated: December 25, 2015
| Type | Description | First Played | Last Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro | 2012 Intro w/ "Holding Company" Synth | August 10, 2012 | January 10, 2014 |
| Intro | Swirl Intro | August 6, 2014 | December 13, 2014 |
| Outro | Drum Transition Outro | May 24, 2014 | June 14, 2014 |
| Alternative | Shortened (No First Chorus or Second Verse) | May 24, 2014 | June 14, 2014 |
| Alternative | Shortened (Intro/First Verse/First Chorus/Outro Only) | August 6, 2014 | January 17, 2015 |
Live Guests
Last Updated: December 25, 2015
- Benjamin Chandler (replacing Brad Delson)
Promotion
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | O Music Awards | Best Interactive Video | Won |
Personnel
Lyrics
Yeah
Yo
You were that / foundation
Never gonna be another one no
I followed / so taken
So conditioned I could never let go
Then sorrow / then sickness
Then the shock when you flip it on me
So hollow / so vicious
So afraid I couldn't let myself see (Oh)
That I could never be held
Back or up no / I hold myself
Check the rep / yep you know mine well
Forget the rest / let them know my hell (Oh)
There and back / yet my soul ain't sell
Kept respect up / the best they fell
Let the rest be the tale they tell
That I was there saying
In these promises broken / deep below
Each word gets lost in the echo
So one last lie / I can see through
This time I finally let you
Go [x3]
Test my will / test my heart
Let me tell you how the odds gonna stack up
Ya'll go hard / I go smart
How's that working out for y'all in the back, huh?
I've seen that frustration
Been crossed and lost and told no
And I've come back / unshaken
Let down and lived and let go (Oh)
So you can let it be known
I don't hold back I hold my own
I can't be mapped / I can't be cloned
I can't C-flat / it ain't my tone (Oh)
I can't fall back I came too far
Hold myself up and love my scars
Let the bells ring wherever they are
'Cause I was there saying. . .
In these promises broken / deep below
Each word gets lost in the echo
So one last lie / I can see through
This time I finally
LET YOU GO
NO / YOU CAN TELL 'EM ALL NOW
I DON'T BACK UP / I DON'T BACK DOWN
I DON'T FOLD UP AND I DON'T BOW
I DON'T ROLL OVER / DON'T KNOW HOW
I DON'T CARE WHERE THE ENEMIES ARE
CAN'T BE STOPPED / ALL I KNOW / GO HARD
WON'T FORGET HOW I GOT THIS FAR
FOR EVERY TIME SAYING
In these promises broken / deep below
Each word gets lost in the echo
So one last lie / I can see through
This time I finally let you
GO (go) [x7]
In these promises broken / deep below
Each word gets lost in the echo
So one last lie / I can see through
This time I finally let you
Go
Go
Go
Finally
LET YOU GO
This time I finally let you
Test my will / test my heart
Let me tell you how the odds gonna stack up
Ya'll go hard / I go smart
How's that working out for y'all in the back, huh?
I've seen that frustration
Been crossed and lost and told no
And I've come back / unshaken
Let down and lived and let go
So you can let it be known
I don't hold back I hold my own
I can't be mapped / I can't be cloned
I can't C-flat / it ain't my tone
I can't fall back I came too far
Hold myself up and love my scars
Let the bells ring wherever they are
'Cause I was there saying. . .
In these promises broken / deep below
Each word gets lost in the echo
So one last lie / I can see through
This time I finally let you
Go
Go
Go
Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
This time I
This time I
This time I
This time I
This time I
This time I finally
LET YOU GO
This this time I finally let you
Go, go
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises (Go, go)
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises
Promises
In these promises broken / deep below
Each word gets lost in the echo
So one last lie / I can see through
This time I finally let you
Go
Go
Go
Gallery
-
Single
-
Soundwave 2013
-
Kokowääh 2 (Original Soundtrack)
In Other Media
- "Lost In The Echo" is featured in the 2013 film Kokowääh 2 and was included in its soundtrack album.
External Links
- Lost In The Echo (Regular Video): LPTV | WMT | WMG
- Lost In The Echo (Lyric Video): LPTV
- Lost In The Echo (Interactive Video): LostInTheEcho.com
References
- ↑ A Conversation With Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, Plus Chatting With VideofyMe's Oskar Glauser and The Villains and Ben Arthur Exclusives, July 25, 2012
- ↑ IamA Mike Shinoda AMA!, August 12, 2015
- ↑ LPTV: Linkin Park Gets A New Guitarist | Linkin Park - YouTube, September 18, 2012
- ↑ Ghost on Twitter: "On my way to Detroit to begin filming for the Linkin Park music video. Lets get it!" ., July 01, 2012
- ↑ Carly Francavilla on Twitter: "Oh! & I am happy to announce that the single we are filming today is called "Lost in the Echo" off the album #LivingThings #LinkinPark" ., July 01, 2012
- ↑ Gino the Ghost Tweet, July 02, 2012
- ↑ gino.wav on Twitter: "@aKaRiot lol yeah man, Lost in the Echo" ., June 30, 2012
- ↑ Melanie Boria on Twitter: "Had so much fun shooting Linkin Park's video! Wish I could say more but I'll wait till it comes out! #LinkinPark" ., July 2, 2012
- ↑ Carly Francavilla no Twitter: "Another photo from the set! #LinkinPark http://t.co/g4VUQian" ., July 01, 2012
- ↑ RTR:BR Entrevista EXCLUSIVA com @GinoTheGhost | Road To Revolution Brasil, September 5, 2012
- ↑ Linkin Park Uses Fan Facebook Photos For Unique Interactive Music Video - hypebot
- ↑ New Linkin Park Video Implants Your Friends’ Faces Into Post-Apocalyptic Memories | WIRED, August 29, 2012
- ↑ LOST IN THE ECHO *INTERACTIVE* VIDEO PREMIERE « Mike Shinoda's Blog, August 29, 2012
- ↑ Linkin Park - LOST IN THE ECHO (Official Video) - YouTube, September 04, 2012
- ↑ "Lost In The Echo" Music Video - Page 3 - Got News? - Linkin Park Live - Page 3, August 21, 2012