Earlier this year, psychedelic pop outfit Phantom Electric debuted their single “Tell Me,” a tight, dynamic cut with an earworm chorus and brooding instrumentation. Encased in a summery haze, it’s a song that seeks to capture the feeling of being penned in and isolated as a relationship comes to a crossroads. In some ways, it’s a plea for guidance, but there’s a sense of resolve that keeps the track from tipping into melodrama. Musically, it’s got a strong current of Tame Impala hypnotism and today we’re excited to debut the accompanying video.
Filmed and edited by Sean Michelsen and Bill Zimmerman, the clip uses washed-out color and an implied narrative to express equal parts doubt and a search for strength. Throughout the video, we find bandleader Nick Whitson staring into the middle distance, his long glances suggesting both internal searching and an uncomfortable conversation. Those ruminative scenes are juxtaposed against footage of Whitston standing on a rowboat and running down a gravel road during twilight. Although fairly open to interpretation, the real meat here is about personal polarity and the quest for meaning.
“We wanted to make the video in a way that tells a story about duality,” Michelsen explains. “Nick wrote this song from a perspective of feeling trapped or paralyzed in terms of a certain relationship, wondering how things should end up. We made certain scenes extremely still to symbolize that feeling of indecisiveness and cut them together with a constant running shot that is meant to represent how Nick wants to find resolve. Sort of like running towards a remedy for feeling unsure about the future.”
Watch/listen above.
More Info
Web: phantomelectric.com
Bandcamp: phantomelectric.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @phantomelectric
Instagram: @phantomelectric
SoundCloud: @thephantomelectric
Twitter: @p_e_music