"Whirring" is a song by the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

band

the Joy Formidable The Joy Formidable is a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 2007 in Mold, Flintshire, and currently based in London, England. The band consists of Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan ( lead vocals, guitar), Rhydian Dafydd ( bass, vocals) and Matthew Jam ...

. Written by the band, it was originally released on the band's debut EP, ''

A Balloon Called Moaning ''A Balloon Called Moaning'' is the debut extended play by Welsh indie rock band the Joy Formidable. It was released exclusively in Japan in December 2008, then released with additional tracks in the UK the following month. Critical reception The ...

'', in 2009 before being re-released on the band's debut full-length album, ''

The Big Roar ''The Big Roar'' is the debut album by Welsh rock band the Joy Formidable, released in the UK on 24 January 2011 on Atlantic Records, with a US release following on 15 March 2011.

'', in 2011.

Reception

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...

ranked the song No. 68 on its list of the Top 100 Tracks of 2011, with author Amy Phillips writing: "The Joy Formidable aren't headlining soccer stadiums quite yet, but you wouldn't know it from listening to 'Whirring'. An aerobic rush of a song that builds to the kind of explosive alt-rock chorus that would've blown the roof off of '

120 Minutes ''120 Minutes'' is a television program in the United States dedicated to the alternative music genre, that originally aired on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then aired on MTV's associate channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003. After its cancellation, MTV ...

' circa 1995, it's the kind of thing that gets you pumped to run up a steep hill, lift heavy objects, or defeat

Bob Dole Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 – December 5, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. He was the Republican Leader of the Senate during the final 11 years of his te ...

's Presidential run."The Top 100 Tracks of 2011

. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.

Music video

The original music video for "Whirring", directed by Dain Bedford, was released in 2009 and was filmed in

Northern Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...

.The joy Formidable - Whirring
Myspace. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2011. A second music video, directed by Christopher Mills, was released on 8 March 2011 on

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's website. The 2011 version is a

surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...

music video featuring the band exploring a house full of cats and them descending deeper and deeper through the house's layers.Newman, Jason
Indie Music Month Video Premiere: The Joy Formidable, 'Whirring'

. March 8, 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011. The 2011 music video was the first video the air on the premiere episode of '' 120 Minutes with Matt Pinfield''.‘Whirring’ feat on 120 Minutes Premiere
. The Joy Formidable. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.

In popular culture

A sample of "Whirring" was used for

the Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The three ...

song, "Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once)", airing as an

SNL Digital Short An ''SNL'' Digital Short is one in a series of comedic and often musical video shorts created for NBC's ''Saturday Night Live''. The origin of the Digital Short brand is credited to staff writer Adam McKay, who created content for the show in c ...

on 26 January 2013. "Whirring" is also featured on the soundtrack of the videogame

Hi-Fi Rush ''Hi-Fi Rush'' is a Rhythm game, rhythm-based action game developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda Softworks for the Windows and Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox Series X/S platforms. It was announced on January 25, 2023 and release ...

, released in 2023.

Track listings

All songs written by Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd. ;2009 7" Vinyl, Limited EditionJoy Formidable, The – Whirring (Vinyl)

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

. Retrieved 14 December 2011. # "Whirring" - 2:37 #Chwyrlio - 3:52 ;US

Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...

2011 exclusiveJoy Formidable, The – Whirring (Vinyl)

. Retrieved 14 December 2011. #Whirring - 3:17 #Chwyrlio - 4:09

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

External links

{{The Joy Formidable 2011 singles Song recordings produced by Rich Costey The Joy Formidable songs