Master of My Make-Believe

Master of My Make-Believe is the second studio album by American musician Santigold, released in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2012 and in the United States on May 1, through Downtown and Atlantic Records. The album features contributions from a wide range of musicians, including long-time collaborators John Hill, Switch and Diplo, as well as Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.[1] The cover art of the album, designed by Jason Schmidt, represents four incarnations of Santigold.[2] The album received positive reviews from music critics, and earned Santigold her first number one on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, and reached number 21 on the US Billboard 200 and number 33 on the UK Albums Chart.[3][4]

Master of My Make-Believe
Studio album by Santigold
Released	April 24, 2012 (2012-04-24)
Recorded	2010–11
Studio	Downtown (New York) Echo Sound (Los Angeles) Federal Prism (Beverly Hills) Geejam (Portland)
Genre	Electronic new wave alternative dance dubtronica reggae fusion
Length	37:45
Label	Atlantic Downtown
Producer	Santigold (also exec.) Switch Greg Kurstin John Hill Diplo Q-Tip Ricky Blaze Boys Noize Buraka Som Sistema David Andrew Sitek
Santigold chronology
Top Ranking (2008) Master of My Make-Believe (2012) 99¢ (2016)
Singles from Master of My Make-Believe
"Big Mouth" Released: 19 January 2012 "Disparate Youth" Released: 22 February 2012 "The Keepers" Released: 22 June 2012

Release

Master of My Make-Believe was preceded by the singles "Big Mouth" and "Disparate Youth". The song "Go" featuring Karen O premiered in April 2011, but was not available for purchase until the release of the album. In May 2012, Santigold posted a photo on Instagram from the set of the video for "The Keepers", which was released as the third single on June 22, 2012.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	74/100[6]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Chicago Tribune	[8]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[9]
The Independent	[10]
Los Angeles Times	[11]
Pitchfork	6.3/10[12]
PopMatters	8/10[13]
Rolling Stone	[14]
Slant Magazine	[15]
Spin	9/10[16]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Master of My Make-Believe received an average score of 74, based on 37 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6] AllMusic said the album is "the kind of album that can fully define her sound, but is still multifaceted and well crafted enough to be exciting."[7] Chicago Tribune felt that "White's subversive way with a hook and her ability to effortlessly blend dance beats from around the world make Master of My Make-Believe a deceptively breezy and enticing summer album."[8] Los Angeles Times wrote, "Throughout, Santigold never stops playing spin-the-globe, and she also never loses sight of her mission to keep listeners moving."[11] Entertainment Weekly stated that the album's "disgruntled machine-raging and spiky new-wave rhythms evoke both the urgency of early U2 and the agit-pop ire of M.I.A.—while delivering more direct danceability than either."[9] Roberrt Alford of PopMatters wrote, "I would place this album among the strongest work coming out in both the realms of indie and pop music these days, and though it may not inspire the level of critical and popular veneration that her first album enjoyed, it's a welcome return by one of the most inventive and inspired recording artists working today."[13] Slant Magazine's Kevin Liedel said, "Santigold's trademark irreverence and penchant for high-energy anthems delivers her sophomore effort from the potential downfalls of miscellany."[15]

Pitchfork critic Carrie Battan gave the album a less favorable review, stating: "A polished assortment of tidily global-sounding, mid-tempo pop tunes that seem to end before they ever kick off, strung together by a checklist of semi-impassioned capital-K Keywords: Youth, Machine, Riot, Fame, Freak, Pirate, Keepers."[12] Rosen Jody of Rolling Stone wrote, "Her songs sound great but feel off, merely gesturing in the direction of emotions. In the end, she's so cool she'll frost up your earbuds."[14] Paste thought that "Master of My Make-Believe is by no means a disappointment, but it falls short of the expectation that has been gestating for the past four years."[17]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Go!" (featuring Karen O)	Santigold Karen O Nick Zinner Dave Taylor Kamaal Fareed Guy Battarel Jean-Pierre Massiera	Santigold Switch Q-Tip	3:23
2.	"Disparate Youth"	Santigold Zinner Ricardo Johnson	Santigold Ricky Blaze	4:44
3.	"God from the Machine"	Santigold Johnson Greg Kurstin	Kurstin Santigold^[a] Switch^[b]	3:52
4.	"Fame"	Santigold David Andrew Sitek Stéphanie Sokolinski	Sitek	3:29
5.	"Freak Like Me"	Santigold John Hill Taylor	Hill Switch	2:18
6.	"This Isn't Our Parade"	Santigold Zinner Hill Sitek	Santigold Hill Sitek^[b]	3:54
7.	"The Riot's Gone"	Santigold Zinner Taylor Kurstin	Kurstin Switch^[a]	3:29
8.	"Pirate in the Water"	Santigold Taylor Jesse Novak Thomas Wesley Pentz	Santigold Switch Diplo	2:54
9.	"The Keepers"	Santigold Hill Kurstin	Kurstin	3:32
10.	"Look at These Hoes"	Santigold Pentz Alexander Ridha Naeem Juwan	Santigold Diplo Boys Noize Switch^[b] Hill^[b]	2:57
11.	"Big Mouth"	Santigold Taylor João Barbosa Rui Pité Karla Rodrigues	Switch Buraka Som Sistema	3:11

iTunes deluxe edition bonus tracks[18]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"Never Enough"			3:19
13.	"GO!" (Switch Remix) (featuring Karen O)	White O Zinner Taylor Fareed Battarel Massiera	Switch	3:39
14.	"Disparate Youth" (music video)			3:51

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Master of My Make-Believe.[19]

Musicians

• Santigold – vocals (all tracks), drums (tracks 3, 9), keyboards (track 9), piano (track 7)
• Karen O – vocals (track 1)
• Nick Zinner – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 7), keyboards (track 6)
• Jahphet Landis – drums (track 1)
• Anthony Burlitch – drums (track 6)
• John Morrical – keyboards (track 6)
• Greg Kurstin – drums (track 9), keyboards (track 9), piano (tracks 7), all other instruments (tracks 3, 7, 9)
• John Hill – keyboards (track 6)

Technical

• Santigold – executive production, production (tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 10), co-production (track 3)
• Switch – production (tracks 5, 8, 11), co-production (tracks 7), additional production (tracks 3, 10), mixing (tracks 1, 8, 11)
• Greg Kurstin – production (tracks 3, 7, 9)
• John Hill – production (tracks 5, 6), additional production (track 10)
• Diplo – production (tracks 8, 10)
• David Andrew Sitek – production (track 4), additional production (track 6)
• Ricky Blaze – production (track 2), programming (track 2)
• Q-Tip – production (track 1)
• Boys Noize – production (track 10)
• Buraka Som Sistema – production (track 11)
• Chris Coady – engineering
• Jesse Shatkin – engineering
• Bryan Gottshall – engineering
• Chris Allen – engineering
• Chris Kasych – engineering
• Sayyd Droullard – engineering
• Zeph Sowers – engineering
• Rich Costey – mixing (tracks 2–7, 9, 10)
• Eddy Schreyer – mastering

Artwork

• Jason Schmidt – photography
• Kehinde Wiley – painting

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2012) Peak position Australian Albums Chart[20] 16 Austrian Albums Chart[21] 35 Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[22] 27 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[23] 52 Canadian Albums Chart[24] 34 Dutch Albums Chart[25] 62 French Albums Chart[26] 65 Irish Albums Chart[27] 25 New Zealand Albums Chart[28] 31 Swiss Albums Chart[29] 16 UK Albums Chart[4] 33 UK Dance Albums Chart[30] 4 US Billboard 200[3] 21 US Alternative Albums[3] 5 US Dance/Electronic Albums[3] 1 US Rock Albums[3] 8

Year-end charts Chart (2012) Position US Dance/Electronic Albums[31] 13

References

1. Dombal, Ryan (February 24, 2012). "Santigold Talks Long-Awaited New Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
2. Pelly, Jenn (February 28, 2012). "Check Out the Cover Art for Santigold's New Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
3. "Dance/Electronic Albums – Week of May 19, 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
4. "2012 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
5. "The Keepers – Single by Santigold". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
6. "Master of My Make-Believe by Santigold Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
7. Lymangrover, Jason. "Master of My Make-Believe - Santigold". AllMusic. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
8. "Album review: Santigold, 'Master of My Make-Believe' (3.5 stars out of 4)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
9. Ray, Rhman (May 4, 2012). "Master of My Make-Believe (2012)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
10. Gill, Andy (April 20, 2012). "Album: Santigold, Master of My Make-Believe (Atlantic)". The Independent. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
11. Martens, Todd (April 30, 2012). "Album review: Santigold's 'Master of My Make-Believe'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
12. Battan, Carrie (May 2, 2012). "Santigold: Master of My Make-Believe Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
13. Alford, Robert (May 2, 2012). "Santigold: Master of My Make-Believe". PopMatters. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
14. Jody, Rosen (May 1, 2012). "Master of My Make-Believe". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
15. Liedel, Kevin (April 26, 2012). "Santigold Master of My Make-Believe | Album Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
16. Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne (May 1, 2012). "Santigold, 'Master of My Make-Believe' (Downtown/Atlantic)". Spin. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
17. Bernstein, Eli (May 1, 2012). "Santigold: Master of My Make-Believe". Paste. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
18. "Master of My Make-Believe (Deluxe Version) by Santigold". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
19. Master of My Make-Believe (CD liner notes). Santigold. Atlantic Records. 2012. 530436-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
20. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
21. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
22. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
23. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
24. "Top 100 Albums in Canada". Jam!. Canoe.ca. May 3, 2012. Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
25. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
26. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
27. "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 26 April 2012". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
28. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
29. "Santigold – Master Of My Make-Believe". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
30. "2012 Top 40 Dance Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
31. "Dance/Electronic Albums – 2012 Year End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 17, 2012.