The romantic music video for Jack Garratt’s latest single “Chemical” and Zane Lowe’s hottest new record portrays the moment where infatuation becomes insanity. After building a fanatical shrine to her favourite pop idol, a female lonely heart reaches such lustful desperation that she begins to hallucinate that a collection of her bedroom items make up his skeletal frame.
Garratt’s lyrics such as, “my love won’t reason, free you from the pain you’re captive for“, fit the illogical concept of the video but the object of her affection is a less-beard-drenched version of the rising musician and his appearance mirrors the quiff hairstyle of Dan Smith from Bastille, which is a wise decision due to the fact that any resemblance to Garratt could cause a misrepresentation of early narcissistic egotism.
With the inclusion of colourful 80’s style screen graphics and the protagonist’s music-playing technology, it wouldn’t have been surprising if Morten Harket of A-ha spontaneously appeared and subsequently teleported themselves to an illustrative universe. However, the beauty of the romantic fantasy moment where the couple dance is more reminiscent of the coat-dancing scene in Oscar Award-winning The Artist and the hopelessness of the headless man in French short film L’Homme Sans Tete.
The song itself continues Garratt’s intriguing mixture of Tom Odell-esque contemporary piano-caressing singer-song-writing, the electronic R&B of How To Dress Well, the energy of Years and Years and the post-dubstep neo soul of James Blake. The latter’s comparison is due to his confident and unpredictable wave of experimental electronic effects and how he tampers with the pitch of his voice until it becomes echoey and megaphonic. Add in the clapping and marching crescendo of the aforementioned Bastille and he’s likely become a hipster girl’s dream. “Chemical” will feature on his second EP Synesthesiac released on the 13th of April and can be pre-ordered here. Meanwhile, the single’s music video can be watched below.
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