'Music Video Premiere: Joy' / Rat Child
Rat Child releases a warm and powerful music video for whimsical single “Joy”.
The music video for “Joy” comes ahead of Rat Child’s debut EP set to be released before the end of the year and mixed by Dave Rodriguez (Godtet). Co-directed by Matutara (aka 1/6), the DIY music video for “Joy” inextricably links the narrative world of the lyrics to the domestic space in the music video.
“Joy” begins with soft vocal harmonies that divulge a soulful whirlwind of guitar, nu-soul restrained drumming and percolating bass. Rat Child’s voice quickly asserts dominance, honeyed with folk and soul influence while delightfully rough around the edges, affluent in its raw character. In the video we see Rat Child in a bed, on a couch, slicing an abundance of vegetables and in a washing basket with an array of baby clothes spread around her - a homage to her first child, whom she had before the onset of isolation. Despite the ostensibly ebullient mood and disposition in the track, the lyrics and Rat Child’s own words reveal a darker sentiment behind the storytelling. Evidently, Rat Child uses the metaphor of a lost lover to meditate on the experience of living in a time of depression. She comments on the contrast:
“This juxtaposition is something I enjoy playing with but also I think it's necessary when dealing with heavy subject matter - there still has to be light creeping in somewhere. This is basically the same for the video concept. It’s quite a light and playful video and yet it’s exploring this narrative of loss and identity. Playing off the current state of things, with everyone isolated at home we were actively exploring the push and pull of joy within a framework of domesticity, mundanity and responsibility. How do we find joy when we’re stuck at home entertaining different versions of ourselves? No matter which version we are in any given moment, there’s always a sacrifice, a loss of some other part of ourselves that we might find ourselves searching for.”
The search for identity is always taxing, but there’s solace in the fact that it leads to touching music. Clearly, in “Joy” Rat Child gives us a sneak peak of the undoubtable breadth of magic soon to be bestowed upon us from her upcoming EP.
You can keep up to date with Rat Child on Bandcamp, Instagram, Youtube, Spotify, Soundcloud.com and Facebook
Article by Margarita Bassova
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