Athens garage-punk trio Kwazymoto are preparing the release of their sophomore LP Limerence Land next month, and to help promote the record the group recently unveiled a DIY stop motion video for lead single “Defamed Fatale.” Centered around a mix of buzzsaw riffs, wiry rhythms, and vocals that manage to sound both hooky and yet caustic, the track shambles forth with a kind of sluggish danceability that feels akin to Future of the Left’s scorched-earth barbs. It’s weirdly infectious, yes, but there’s also a hint of something darker and more sinister in the air.
The video’s distinct choppiness and forced march progression only adds to the song’s strange and ominous atmosphere, which according to guitarist and vocalist Ian Hemerlein, was the group’s express intention. “The video is meant to provoke overstimulation and serve as a representation of the constant, sporadic changes in the song’s structure, as well as provide a sense of tongue-in-cheek campiness to the lyricism that borders on becoming absurdly dark,” Hemerlein told Flagpole for the clip’s premiere. All in all, it’s a compelling watch from a band that I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on.
Watch it above.
Limerence Land is out Oct. 13.
More Info
Bandcamp: kwazymoto.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @kwazymot0