Drugs or love, watching a young woman writhe on a bed in Sunken Seas' video for "Mirage” you can’t help think that she’s going through withdrawl of some kind. The woman is talented dancer and choreographer Jac Wilson, who directed and edited the video, and her unique movements add a sensual and disturbing visual dynamic to the songs ominous tones.The lead track from the Wellington band’s second album Glass is full of shoegaze and post rock menace. Like the video it’s both intriguing and slightly disturbing.Watch the video below and read a quick chat we had with vocalist Ryan Harte.Noisey: The video is intriguing. It’s part voyeuristic and part performance.
Ryan Harte: Yeah, you’re right. What I like about the video is that aesthetic interplay between voyeurism and theatrical expression. The hero expresses a feeling of being overwhelmed but it is not obvious what is controlling her. Restless, yearning, physical pain, lust, withdrawal. It seems like all of those things but also none of those things.Is withdrawal reflected in the song at all?
The song touches on that feeling of going around in circles, but also finding some kind of relief in nihilism. There’s that push/pull effect of confinement and isolation, perhaps like that feeling you get when you’re trying to get out of bed in the morning.This is the third music video (following Boycrush and Introverted Dancefloor) from a New Zealand act involving a creative modern dance performance. What’s going on?
I can't really speak for the other guys you mentioned but I think that music and dance can go together like bangers and mash. In terms of this band however, dance routines have always been a no go. This was until Jac got in touch out of the blue with a rough cut of the video already finished. The choreography just fitted with the song so well. It has such a powerful, emotive quality to it.Catch Sunken Seas at these shows:
Oct 30 - Christchurch at Darkroom
Oct 31 - Dunedin at Chick’s Hotel
Nov 6 - Auckland at Wine Cellar'Glass' is available now.
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Ryan Harte: Yeah, you’re right. What I like about the video is that aesthetic interplay between voyeurism and theatrical expression. The hero expresses a feeling of being overwhelmed but it is not obvious what is controlling her. Restless, yearning, physical pain, lust, withdrawal. It seems like all of those things but also none of those things.Is withdrawal reflected in the song at all?
The song touches on that feeling of going around in circles, but also finding some kind of relief in nihilism. There’s that push/pull effect of confinement and isolation, perhaps like that feeling you get when you’re trying to get out of bed in the morning.This is the third music video (following Boycrush and Introverted Dancefloor) from a New Zealand act involving a creative modern dance performance. What’s going on?
I can't really speak for the other guys you mentioned but I think that music and dance can go together like bangers and mash. In terms of this band however, dance routines have always been a no go. This was until Jac got in touch out of the blue with a rough cut of the video already finished. The choreography just fitted with the song so well. It has such a powerful, emotive quality to it.Catch Sunken Seas at these shows:
Oct 30 - Christchurch at Darkroom
Oct 31 - Dunedin at Chick’s Hotel
Nov 6 - Auckland at Wine Cellar'Glass' is available now.