Sunchyme

"Sunchyme"
Single by Dario G
from the album Sunmachine
B-side"Chyme"
Released15 September 1997 (1997-09-15)
GenreHouse
Length3:54
LabelEternal
Songwriters
ProducerPeter Oxendale
Dario G singles chronology
"Sunchyme"
(1997)		 "Carnaval de Paris"
(1998)
Music video
"Sunchyme" on YouTube

"Sunchyme" is a song by British electronic music trio Dario G. It was released as their debut single on 15 September 1997 by Eternal Records, serving as the lead single from their debut studio album, Sunmachine (1998). The song heavily samples the track "Life in a Northern Town" by dream pop band the Dream Academy. "Sunchyme" entered the top five on many European music charts, including the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two for two nonconsecutive weeks. It also topped the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart following its American release in 1998.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "Import enthusiasts are already well-aware of this spunky, Euro-splashed instrumental, which draws its hook from The Dream Academy's 1985 hit "Life in a Northern Town". First heard several months ago on the U.K.'s Eternal Records, this track is already making the rounds on crossover radio stations and mix shows." He concluded with that it "has the juice to become a massive top 40 hit." A reviewer from Music Week gave "Sunchyme" a score of four out of five, noting that "this catchy, uplifting house track is already attracting heavy airplay from Radio One and Capital, and is guaranteed to cross over into chart success."

Music Week editor Alan Jones praised it as "a gem, with the potential to go to the very top." Tim Jeffery from the Record Mirror Dance Update rated the song with five out of five, naming it "unashamed pop dance at its simplest and best". He added, "It'll have virtually everyone wincing and complaining that it's nothing to do with the "proper" dance scene while they observe entire clubs with their hands raised, belting out the chorus and generally going potty. Love it or loath [sic] it, you'll be hearing this from now until Christmas, and even beyond." In 2025, Classic Pop magazine ranked "Sunchyme" number 11 in their list of "Top 20 80s Sampling Hits".

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Sunchyme" features a tribe of African people having their bodies covered with colourful paint to portray the animals of their native land (as well as tigers, which are not native to Africa). Later, they jump into a river to wash away the paint. At the 18th BRIT Awards ceremony, the music video was nominated for the Brit Award for British Video of the Year, but lost to "Never Ever" by All Saints.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BRMA) Gold 25,000*
Germany (BVMI) Platinum 500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) Gold 5,000*
United Kingdom (BPI) 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 13 September 1997. p. 33. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Pereira, Natalie (8 April 2017). "Tritonal samples '80s house track on new single, 'Hey MaMaMa'". Dancing Astronaut. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Flick, Larry (11 April 1998). "Reviews & Previews: Singles – New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 15. p. 88. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  4. ↑ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 September 1997. p. 49. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  5. ↑ Jones, Alan (30 August 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 10. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  6. ↑ Jeffery, Tim (16 August 1997). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 16. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  7. ↑ O'Brien, Jon (14 April 2025). "Top 20 80s sampling hits". Classic Pop. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  8. ↑ "BBC News | UK | Nominations for 1998 Brit Awards". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  9. ↑ Sunchyme (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Eternal Records. 1997. WEA 130CD, 3984-20468-2.
  10. ↑ Sunchyme (US CD single liner notes). Kinetic Records. 1997. 9 17207-2.
  11. ↑ Sunchyme (UK cassette single sleeve). Eternal Records. 1997. WEA 130C.
  12. ↑ Sunchyme (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Eternal Records. 1997. WEA 130T.
  13. ↑ Sunchyme (European CD single liner notes). Eternal Records. 1997. 3984-21109-9.
  14. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  15. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  16. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  17. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  18. ↑ "Dance/Urban. Volume 67, Issue 1 (1998-03-30)". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  19. ↑ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 20 December 1997. p. 79 – via Google Books.
  20. ↑ "Hits of the World: Eurochart Hot 100 (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 12/27/97". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 52. Nielsen Business Media. 27 December 1997. p. 61. ISSN 0006-2510.
  21. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme" (in French). Le classement de singles.
  22. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name.
  23. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 1–3. 17 January 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  24. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (30.10 '97 – 6.11. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 31 October 1997. p. 26. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  25. ↑ "Sunchyme | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart.
  26. ↑ "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 41. 11 October 1997. p. 60. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  27. ↑ "Major Market Airplay: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 51. 20 December 1997. p. 23.
  28. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  29. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  30. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme". Top 40 Singles.
  31. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 5/10/1997 – Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  32. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme". Singles Top 100.
  33. ↑ "Dario G – Sunchyme". Swiss Singles Chart.
  34. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 5/10/1997 – Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  35. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart on 21/9/1997 – Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  36. ↑ "Dario G Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  37. ↑ "Dario G Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  38. ↑ "Dario G Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  39. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1997" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  40. ↑ "Rapports annuels 1997" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  41. ↑ "1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 52. 27 December 1997. p. 7. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  42. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  43. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1997". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  44. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1997" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  45. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. 17 January 1998. p. 27.
  46. ↑ "RPM's Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1998". RPM. Retrieved 14 February 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  47. ↑ "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1998" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 51. 19 December 1998. p. 8. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  48. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1997" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  49. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1998" (in German). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  50. ↑ "The Year in Music 1998: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. 26 December 1998. p. YE-54.
  51. ↑ "The Year in Music 1998: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. 26 December 1998. p. YE-55.
  52. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  53. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  54. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Dario G; 'Sunchyme')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  55. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Dario G – Sunchyme". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  56. ↑ "British single certifications – Dario G – Sunchyme". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 January 2021. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Sunchyme Dario G in the "Search:" field.