Since the apparition of realism and impressionism in art – and more specifically in painting – the artistic movements have become more and more fragmented, due to a series of technological, socio-economic, and warlike reasons. The best thing about this fragmentation is that at, literally, every corner, there are new, exciting things happening.
We can apply that to music and the advent of the internet. Where the less educated minds may see a band with no chance at big success, others see creativity, pushing boundaries, and making the most of whatever means available. And the internet makes it available to all, so creativity can be seen and shared non-stop.
GR^VE is one such creative band. Known for their sparse, dark, edgy shoegaze, their new video single “In Fire” lyrically dabbles in various fronts: self-doubt, the horror that life can be art certain moments (and they do know because, at the time of publishing this review, the world is flooded with new Covid variants, due to political incompetence), and being true to oneself, rejecting dark thoughts as they can easily spiral into a bottomless well of obscurity.
The video marks the very first time the members of the band can be seen on film. With a start that makes us wonder what would happen if Fever Ray really wanted to be dark, we see a small kid watching TV in a way that reminds us of Poltergeist, but this time, the presence at the other side – that of the singer – is reassuring, and her muffled voice gets gradually clearer as it exhorts the kid who watches the screen to stay calm and positive. The instrumentation and her singing go hand in hand, emphasizing the message.
As the video progresses, the tension rises, and the images become more unsettling, coinciding with the section when she is lost in the images and the screen static. Nevertheless, the kid keeps a serene look, trusting the singing woman like it was his own mother.
A hundred hours were invested in the making of the video, and the result is a great example of how good a film accompanying a good song can be if you know how to work with any means you have.
Watch the video for “In Fire” below: