I find Canadian band Carmanah’s new music video for single “As I See You” strikingly timely. You’ve likely read enough about the uncertainty this past week, and I think we’re all turning to art that reaches out to us, that we can relate to, that gives us some stability in late March, 2020. Frolicking slowly on a quiet, grey beach has never looked so peaceful. Carmanah has released this video at a time I needed it most.
The video seems simple upon first viewing. Lead singer Laura Mina Mitic looks calmly at us as we watch her drifting along the sand in slow motion, arms gracefully turned upwards, not a care in the world. A canine best friend watches her back. What made me catch my breath was that the video opens and closes with Mitic’s back to us, her gaze trained out on the horizon. She’s looking out into nothingness. It’s no secret the world is staring into the unknown right now, but somehow watching Mitic doing it on a rocky but placid beach makes me feel better. She’s standing in a way that I don’t feel hopeless or uncertainty. I feel a steady sense of calmness.
The Victoria, BC band has been making waves in the Canadian indie-rock corner for some time now. Their debut single “Roots” from 2018 led to their first album earning a combined two million streams to date. Taken from their upcoming album Iris, “As I See You” has a rhythm that reflects the soft composure of the video. It’s a slow, bluesy tempo that lulls me to a better state of being, which is the kind of music we need right now.
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