After a buzzworthy SXSW, Brooklyn-based quartet Plastic Picnic are giving us a lot to talk about in their new video for single "After You." Despite the summery setting, the band laments the loss of a lover in their melodramatic new music video. The beach becomes their haven with waves crashing and the wind blowing.
Powerful synths carry this sullen song along as lead singer Emile Panerio croons with faces of regret. He sulks on the shoreline and pleads into a close-up shot while the band bobs back and forth with the ebb and flow of the current behind them (sometimes on top of them). Each epic chorus feels like it's grasping at one last breath before being overtaken by the water. Crafting lush, celestial soundscapes can be easy but adding a subtle layer of brooding sadness can be much more of a complicated task. Plastic Picnic blend warmth with woe in a clever way that is appropriate for both the lonesome reflection or the energetic dance-floor.
We caught up with the band to hear more about how the video came together:
"'After You' is upbeat and playful on the surface, but when you dig in there’s also a melancholy wistful streak. It’s a song about uncertainty, and we like how the visuals (a beautiful beach on a stormy day) help emphasize that in-between-space."
Plastic Picnic will release their sophomore EP Vistalite on July 19th. The EP vinyl is available for pre-order now and includes the vinyl exclusive “Golden Days.”
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