Elder Island today release an eerie new music video for their haunting single ‘Feral’, the first taste of new music from their upcoming sophomore album. The striking visual brings to life the uncomfortable dread of childhood nightmares, laced with anxiety and the fear of what awaits when you finally fall asleep.
Reminiscent of a short film, the music video embraces the paranormal and the sinister discomfort of vast, desolate landscapes. Directed by Jordan Martin, who has worked with the likes of Fontaines DC, IDLES, Heavy Lungs, Two Door Cinema Club and Bastille, the video centres around a flickering fireside and the band as cult-esque figures, barefoot and shrouded in the dark. Filmed on the outskirts of Bristol, it moves between haunted outhouses, vacant grounds and Hitchcock-styled chiaroscuro driving scenes with a permeating sense of dread, visually exploring the burden of childhood nightmares.
“It was a great opportunity to work with the band on creating a spooky cinematic seance and build our own world around the song and lyrics… We wanted to nod at old horror tropes but put our own spin on it. Incredible fun to make, convertibles, contortions and sleep deprivation!” – Jordan Martin, Director
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“We wiggled a camera into the moments between waking and sleep. We paid homage to the horror films that broke into our childhood. We got cold feet standing in the dewy grass. It was a pleasure.“ – Elder Island
Elder Island are vocalist and cellist Katy Sargent, bassist and beat maestro Luke Thornton and guitarist and synth master David Havard. Having served in teenage bands, or in Katy’s case enjoyed childhood cello lessons, the trio met as students in Bristol where subjects studied included fine art, photography and graphic design – all things that would later come in handy for a band wanting to carve out a world of their own.
The band’s 2014 eponymous EP was the first example of this artistic growth. An ambient soundscape of field recordings, loops and percussive elements, it was followed by 2016’s more dance-influenced Seeds In Sand EP which in turn opened a path to their debut album The Omnitone Collection, a record streamed over 15 million times within the first year of its 2019 release.
Having achieved over 200 million streams on Spotify alone for their music so far, the trio’s blurring of boundaries is not limited to just music. Their approach to how they release and share their music has been uninhibited by traditional industry barriers thanks to the strong connection they have established with a growing, international fanbase. This has allowed them to possess both commercial and creative control.
Elder Island have headlined 60 international shows to date, performing at large capacity venues across the UK, US and EU, as part of their Omnitone Tour. Venues include The Roundhouse (London), The Marble Factory (Bristol), Bowery Ballroom (NYC), El Rey Theatre (LA) and The Fillmore (San Francisco). In addition, the band were special guest headliners alongside Maribou State at Printworks (London), with support from DJ Seinfeld, Folamour and SG Lewis.
The live experience is also a palpable demonstration of the intuitive, emotional understanding that exists between the trio. The same understanding that allows them to begin their songs via their improvised, musical journeys, also shines through on stage as the band’s charismatic collaboration radiates as much from their music as from their on-stage interaction.
Listen to the single on all streaming platforms here
