Disclosure, Latch | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the eighth edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we highlight “Latch” by UK electronic music duo Disclosure featuring decorated singer-songwriter Sam Smith.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the eighth edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we dive into “Latch”, the one-hit wonder by Disclosure.

Hmm! Disclosure (Guy Lawrence and Howard Lawrence) struck pop gold in 2012.  That year, the UK electronic music duo unveiled the song of their career, “Latch”. The Lawrence brothers enlisted a then-rising Sam Smith (pre-Academy and Grammy awards) to sing on the track.  “Latch” is the third track from their critically acclaimed 2013 debut album, Settle.  The Lawrence brothers, Smith, and Jimmy Napes wrote “Latch.” Disclosure produced it.  Notably, they sampled the song “Fairplay” by Zed Bias featuring Jenna G.  Jenna G’s sampled vocals appear throughout. “Latch” peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014. It was certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

“Latch” features creative production by Disclosure.  It thrives on a scintillating groove, colorful synths, and at times, a wall of sound. The synths aren’t monolithic either, oscillating between softer and harder textures. Rhythm is a crucial component of “Latch,” contributing greatly to its success.  Beyond the music, Sam Smith delivers the goods.  This is an early performance, prefacing their debut album, In The Lonely Hour. Even so, the makings of a superstar are clear, with that ripe, expressive, and powerful tenor. “If there are boundaries / I will try to knock them down,” Smith sings, and adds in the first verse, “I’m latching on, babe / Now I know what I have found.” In the second verse, this nameless person has Sam “losing every breath.” They continue, “What did you give me / To make my heart beat out my chest?” Woo! The build-up to the chorus marks one of the best moments.  The best moment, however, is the chorus, which is infectious to the nth degree.

“Now I’ve got you in my space

I won’t let go of you

Got you shackled in my embrace

I’m latching on to you

Now I’ve got you in my space

I won’t let go of you

Got you shackled in my embrace

I’m latching on to you.”

Although Disclosure never struck gold again on the pop charts, “Latch” remains a dance-pop crowd-pleaser more than a decade since its release.  Disclosure and Sam Smith made a formidable team.

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Disclosure » Settle » Universal Island Records » 2013

Disclosure, Latch: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 8 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Universal Island Records; Alexa Popovich, cottonbro studio, ds rexy, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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