One of the things I enjoy most about instrumental music, and math rock in particular, is how one is able to project one’s own narrative over the music’s structural framework. Without lyrics and vocals to ground you in any particular mood, setting, or mindset, you’re free to swim in your own interpretive waters and apply purpose or meaning as you see fit. So whenever I watch a video or some other visual interpretation of an instrumental track, I’m always interested in the way others decipher and decode all that kinetic energy and rhythmic movement.
I first heard Challenger Deep’s debut single “Immersive” back in February of last year and was immediately drawn in by the way the band was able to pair their technical virtuosity with a discerning ear for melody. Sleek and propulsive, the track sprinted along with a mix of high-wire daring and effortless grace. It felt fresh and distinctly modern, which is partly what makes their new video so intriguing.
Directed by Zak Washburn, the comical clip portrays the band as a group of primal Stone Age men embarking on a period of early discovery. The cave-dwelling foursome hunt for fish, pick and eat bugs off one another, and try to create fire, but mostly they dance around and jam on their primitive instruments. It’s all fun and games until a mysterious A&R man appears out of a time portal and offers to show the band the future if they sign a recording contract. Further hijinks ensue, of course, as the group find themselves at Toast and Jam Studios and an exasperated engineer tries to sort out what to do with the Neanderthals that have been unleashed upon him. All in all, it’s funny and clever—a welcome start for a band that hopes to make major moves in 2019.
More Info
Bandcamp: challengerdeepdude.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @ChallengerDeepDude
Instagram: @challengerdeepdude