Curated from airy synth, a space-like ambience and harmonised vocals that seem to take you to another place altogether, Low Talk have opened doors to a new realm of existence with Famous.
This progressive-pop duo made up of Thomas Hyland and Charlotte Ivey have continued to experiment creatively, with the new clip taking an alternative, warped and entirely enthralling route.
Famous by Low Talk is a compilation of symbolism, abrupt montages, subliminal imagery and an intriguing peculiarity.
This arthouse style short film conveys a phone-driven society, the absence we have in the company of others and our lack of inner-happiness that comes as a result. Beginning with a montage of celebrities flashing before your eyes while the the word ‘famous’ melts into the background, we’re instantly aware we’re going to have to look beyond the surface to discover this video’s intended message.
Easing the viewer in this time, unlike the abrupt montage before it, we see a man and woman dining over a nice, romantic dinner. Red wine, candles, a main course and silver throne-like chairs wouldn’t be quite complete without white-masked figures sitting amongst the elaborate setting.
Concealments for emotion or personality, the masks add a mysterious element; hiding the man and woman’s identity and establishing them as anonymous others. As the video progresses, we see the woman is clearly more invested in the conversation than the man, as the mouth of her mask transforms into a cemented smile.
Growing tired of the small talk and constantly staring at his phone, we see now that the man isn’t present.
A random compilation of images appear as Ivey’s other-worldly vocals float over the Lynchian montage. Picking up his phone, the masked man is instantly zapped, nearly throwing him from his chair. The motionless, lifeless slump that was once a man begins dripping with blood, as the woman watches through her shocked-looking mask in horror.
The video for Famous encourages a deeper exploration that your run-of-the-mill clip, and indeed a deeper understanding of society as it currently stands. It’s one that every viewer will undoubtedly see differently, so tell us; what do you see behind the masks?
