Perched somewhere between neat and meticulous indie ballads and raucous, left-of-center bangers, Erez Potok-Holmes aka Sally Boy is the mold for the next generation of pop stars. Leaning heavily into the alternative and frenzied vocal style of late 2000's emo-pop while still maintaining a modern alternative-friendly flair, "Bongo" is a breakneck and biting critique on the monotony of the modern workday and it emphasizes everything that makes Sally Boy so special; playful, sarcastic, larger-than-life anthems that are a delight to rock out to.
Denoting the never-ending, Sisyphean challenge of the 40-hour work week, Potok-Holmes' charged vocals and frenetically paced production establish the feeling of dread and restlessness that is driven home in a particularly engaging visual. Director Eddie Mandell created a thoroughly arresting and unnerving visual that still keeps an appropriately sarcastic tone as its protagonist reaches the end of his rope.
Tormented by all work and no play, Sally Boy escapes his dreary and monotonous chains only to be chased down by the devil himself and re-enslaved to do the same thing over again the next day. The inspiration for the visual comes from, "a peek into the perverse world that is our capitalist working system. A detachment from the natural; a kind of unsettling reality in which perspectives are bug eyed and papers seem to have no end" Potok-Holmes shares. It's a remarkably strong visual, and one of the few that perfectly conveys the nature of the song without veering too far off into the metaphorical.
As he prepares to release his forthcoming EP Lies I Tell Myself via Loud Robot/RCA this October, Sally Boy hasn't pulled any punches with his boisterous and varied brand of new-school pop music that has seen him take bold steps toward his artistic fulfillment. Helping his development along the way have been the pioneering artist development/management company Ourros that also have hands in other rising stars like Hong Kong Boyfriend and Contradash. Continuing his meteoric rise, Sally Boy is certainly an artist to keep an eye on going forward as his sound continues to evolve.
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