Dream-pop duo Slenderbodies have always felt at home in the city and among their synths. But on their latest track "Belong", they're exploring new territory.
Usually known for their elaborate R&B grooves, the Californian outfit have gone Marie Kondo with their new minimal single. "We love to stack our songs with layers, but for "Belong" we wanted to keep the lyrics and melody prominent," they said. Paring back to only a sprightly acoustic guitar, "Belong" sparks joy with singer Max Vehuni's starring falsetto. Along with other half, Benji Cormack, the track expresses their wonder of what's beyond through a slinky pop beat. Illustratively, their lyrics describe the itch to escape a place where they don't fit in: "God damn / I didn't see it / When you've lived here all our life / But didn't mean it."
For Slenderbodies, there's bliss to this discomfort. The exultation of sorts, to drive change and adventure. As a result, the single's music video treks to the border of Russia and China. Beautifully directed by Savannah Setten, the visuals follow moments of solitude and togetherness. As people ponder, laugh, dance and escape the confines of their own personal realities. The duo said, "We wanted to showcase what the song meant to us by showing these universal human connections, ways of feeling alive and like you belong, by telling the stories of these people on the other side of the planet."
Despite language or cultural differences, Vehuni and Cormack said the love of music, movement, camaraderie, and family was all-embracing. "These things are simple and universal, yet, it can be easy to forget the joy they bring."
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