Right now, the days seem remarkably similar.
Lockdown installed a sense of discipline on our routines, but it did leave a lingering frustration, a sense of being constrained and unsatisfied.
This feeling permeates the new video from Ciaran Lavery, the Northern Irish songwriter whose recent album 'Plz Stay, bb' made such a deep impression.
Taken from the LP, 'Bella Union' is a real highlight, a nod to the titular label that also works as a rather more personal statement.
The animated clip builds on these personal themes, adapting Groundhog Day tropes to the repetitive life of a musician.
“The Bella Union video is essentially a groundhog day scenario – one day that repeats itself over & over again, only with slight escalating amendments that alter the course of the day,” says Ciaran.
”This video shows a very crude life cycle of the musician. In this case, the character is someone who strives for the success, working independently to begin with, and then ultimately struggles with the pressures & control while appeasing others. It is a desperate tale.”
Ciaran says “working with animation was a fun way of approaching this concept. We were able to bend the rules in terms of character creation and to an extent, reality, so you’re never quite sure how lifelike it all is. It also allowed us to create a darker narrative and Jordan Robb, the animator, did this perfectly.”
Tune in now.
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