FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Music

Mary Ocher's New Video Is a Disquieting Mini-Masterpiece and You Need to Watch It Now

The experimental vocalist's "Arms" is set in a disturbingly militaristic world where weapons have become icons.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the phrase you really, really want to hear is, "Berlin psychedelic pop craftswoman and experimental vocalist." Mary Ocher is that pop craftswoman and experimental vocalist and she's got a new record, The West Against the People, out very soon, and because we're not always about 4/4 doof or balearic workouts, we've decided to bring you an exclusive watch of the incredibly arresting video for lead track "Arms."

Advertisement

Depicting a disturbingly militaristic world where weapons have become icons, it's strange, disquieting and powerful piece of work. Ocher had this so say about it.

"Images of guns appear in Israeli society everywhere, all the time, they are as visible on the street as mothers with baby-strollers and advertisements, and as such, they become invisible. Their prevalence makes you numb, as much as to the weapons themselves as to uniforms. It is only outside of that realm that you realize how discomforting such reality is, the guns are a reminder of the constant presence of violence. In a militarist society, guns are associated with vitality, sexuality, strength, one's ability to defend oneself, as much as to assert their dominance over another. The hinted violence is glorified and the myth of the soldier is taught to young children in elementary schools. A soldier depraved of a gun is a sissy. It is interesting to see how the phallic concept extends to female combatants, where the gun assumes a new role; a tool for emasculation? Predominantly in the hands of 18-20 year-olds, as well as security staff and guards. They are everywhere whether you care to stop and notice or not."

Ocher's latest release, ARMS/REMIXED arrives on the 13th of January via her Bandcamp page. All profits from the collection on Bandcamp will be forwarded to a Berlin based organization directly assisting war asylum seekers.