The gripping clip was directed by A.F. Cortes and previews the tandem’s colossal joint project, ‘Bright New Disease’.
Earlier this month, genre-flouting outliers Uniform and Boris announced their ambitious joint project with the confirmation of the collaboration album, Bright New Disease. The news was coupled with the unveiling of the album’s potent first preview, “You Are the Beginning“.
Now, the tandem have shared a second serving of the showcase with the album’s closing track, “Not Surprised” – a large looming entry that resonates as hellacious in tone and supremely sludgy in execution.
Composed with the live iteration in mind, Boris’s Atsuo explained, “I thought it would be appropriate for the last song on the album.” Further detailing, “I thought it would be appropriate for the last song on the album.”
A crushing show of musicality and artistic fearlessness, the cadence of the single is nothing short of a slow, tortuous descent into hell with drums, guitars and vocals soundtracking a spiral that slowly circles the drain.
Michael Berdan of Uniform detailed how struggles with mental health and the sense of isolation that comes with that make for a truly cathartic musical experience. “I’ve struggled with mental health issues for my entire life. Although years of hard work, medication, and a support network help immensely at keeping the internal violence of my mind at bay, some days will always be a little worse than others. This song is about the inherent loneliness of those bad days. The level of antipathy I feel towards the entire human race as I’m forced to function around regular people who seem to be just enjoying their life goes beyond words, but I tried to say it here anyway.”
Ensuring the full impact of the track achieved it’s potential. the bands tapped director A.F. Cortez to helm the visual component of the gripping single. The auteur spoke about how he aimed to compliment the performative purge of the cut.
“I wanted (and had to) approach this piece from a visceral and experimental perspective. After listening to the song, I created a dark and surreal film reflecting the track’s themes and mood, leaving my comfort zone and turning some of my processes upside down– literally.” Cortes continues, “The overarching theme of the piece is a cycle of violence; this is my interpretation of the music, not necessarily the authors’. We live in a never-ending cycle of violence; humans are as good at creating as destroying. In the video, the hunted becomes the hunter and then is hunted again. But who wins?”
True to form for both bands, the joint project in Bright New Disease is an album that colors well outside of the categorical confines. Stylistically, the compilation spans from d-beat and noise to synth-centric dark wave and new romantic all in the same presentation. The album is a testament to the vital role of collaboration and the combined prowess of two entities that have always done things on their own terms.
Bright New Disease lands June 16th via Sacred Bones. Order the album – HERE
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