Through the shattered window of the driver seat she's seen rising up, staggering out of the wrecked car; smoke curling where the bumper was embedded into a pole. The girl, wounded and dressed in cheerleader's uniform, is alone. She limps heavily, leaning up against the car. It is nighttime outside, the scene lit by the neon glow of an abandoned diner nearby; no one in sight. A low electronic sound plays in the background; a sinister rhythm that turns into a crunching beat. Her movements change- they move to the beat in aggressive, powerful movements. She's fighting death, battling it.
The beat stops, and she resumes a weak stagger towards a diner. It is deep nighttime, and though the sign spells "open" the diner is abandoned. Neon signs contrast the darkness outside, and the camera pans out from the cheerleader with the faltering step to reveal another girl dressed in uniform, leaning against the counter, casual and nonchalant. The other cheerleader seems to have been in the crash; she's bloodied and wounded. The beat returns, and they both stomp, dancing forcefully as the music becomes richer. Woozy vocals flow into the analogue synths. "Daylight," they say, "hang tight all you", as if urging them to keep moving until daytime. Their movements are mesmerizing and eerie, as is the music. There is an undercurrent of emotion in it that is unsettling and beautiful at the same time. The camera follows them through the dim lit halls of the diner (the bright and colorful neon in the front becoming suddenly grey and dark in the back. The exit sign and the kitchen now looks like a morgue), and more wounded cheerleaders join. Listening to the bass incites a sort of fear and anxiety, as if their hearts are ready to stop at any moment.
The constant shift between force and weakness in their movements seems to signify their struggle for life and survival. In the near end they all gather together outside the diner and perform their dance in sync, implying they've all died at that point in time. The first cheerleader stops and holds a hand tenderly against her side, and suddenly she's alone in front of an empty swimming pool staring forlornly into the camera; her eyes showing the despair of her acceptance. She's finally acknowledged her death, and the scene changes to the smoking car. This time, however, all the cheerleader's bodies lay still and lifeless within. Both the music start and end abruptly, circling back to this scene. Maybe it's some sort of endless limbo that they're in. But in the beginning there was only one cheerleader. Perhaps she was the one to die on impact; her soul the first to wander off until she was joined by those of the others as they died. They were all in a different stage of their dying journey. They seem at ease unlike her though; having already accepted their fate.
Watching Flying Lotus' video "Until the Quiet Comes" reminded me very much of Lorn's "Acid Rain", and I was quick to find out through research that Flying Lotus took Lorn in under his wing at Brainfeeder record labels, therefore they must draw some inspiration from each other. But there's something uniquely dark and brooding about Lorn's melodies; something so emotional and powerful. In an interview he was asked "Behind the beats and the music one can really tell there is a unsettling, macabre nature behind the sounds you produce, was there ever a catalyst for this?"
To this he replied "I grew up surrounded by alcohol and drug addiction, no father, tossed around between family members. I was taught I was a piece of shit by racists in Arkansas. My older brother cut my middle finger off with an ice skate, beat the shit out of me, and later threatened to shoot me in the head with his Glock." "I guess with all the loudness and brashness I use I’m trying to take up that violent space. All of that is the negative space, the fear, resentment, anger.. the real core of the music. For me at least, it is what’s left; what perseveres."
The music video reflects this mood perfectly and artistically, lending a visual to a beautiful piece of sound that is truly hypnotic, haunting and sad. It is the dance of the dead.
No comments:
Post a Comment