Composition
"Northern Lites" is 3 minute and 31 seconds long and is in the key of E minor. The song begins with an intro with steel drums, featuring a flanging effect, before a brass section enters after 6 seconds playing a melody line accompanied by a güiro, sparse drums and an acoustic guitar playing the chords Em7 and A. The melody line plays twice after which Gruff Rhys begins singing the first verse alongside the güiro, guitar and steel drums which no longer have a flange effect. Towards the end of the verse a distorted guitar melody line plays alongside Rhys's vocal and harmony backing vocals enter. The song's first chorus begins at 48 seconds with Rhys singing "There's a distant light, a forest fire burning everything in sight". During the second verse the brass section rejoins, playing the same melody line from the intro. After another chorus the song's extended "play-out" section begins at 2 minutes and 13 seconds with Rhys repeating the lines "Don't worry me, or hurry me, blow me far away to the Northern Lites" accompanied by harmony backing vocals. The track breaks down to just drums and vocals at 2 minutes and 40 seconds after which the band and brass section rejoin. A prominent lead guitar melody begins after 2 minutes and 47 seconds and plays alongside the vocals, acoustic guitar, brass and drums until the track fades out and ends at 3 minutes and 31 seconds.
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