Earlier in the year, Garbage released "Automatic Systematic Habit" as a free digital download via iTunes in the United States on May 8, 2012 — a week before the album was released.[2] Garbage later pressed a limited edition 7" vinyl single for "Big Bright World" and released it through their website. It was backed with "Automatic Systematic Habit" on the B-side.[3][unreliable source?]
Background
The inspiration for "Automatic Systematic Habit" came from a general idea of people messing others around: "I'm a very flawed individual, but I'm very forthright and I don't play games with people", Shirley Manson explained. "At the same time, I know people aren't always so straight with me. That's been a been a real frustration for me my whole life. I find it exhausting trying to figure out what people are trying to say — or sometimes, what they're trying not to say."[4] Musically, the synth-European vibe of the instrumental led to the track being referred to as "Electro" as a working title ("A dance song that was concocted just as sort of a lark, really," multi-instrumentalist Duke Erikson revealed).[2] Manson recorded her first vocal take with a German accent: "There was a pause after I finished and I said, 'Well, that's the idea. What do you think?' and I remember Steve Marker and Duke looking at each other going, 'We like it. We like it. I think you should drop the German accent.'"[2]
Critical reception
Critical response to "Automatic Systematic Habit" was fairly positive upon the release of Not Your Kind of People. Theo Spielberg of Spinner described the song as "razor-sharp [and] electro-roughed".[2]
