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Earlier this year, Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor released the very good and slightly slept-on solo album Paris In The Spring. Not long after that, he teamed up with Mike Simonetti, co founder of the Italians Do It Better label, to drop the absolute banger "Perfect Kiss." The 12" single version of "Perfect Kiss" is out later this week, and now we get to hear another track, an unlikely cover of an indie-folk classic.
Back in 1999, Will Oldham released the stark, overwhelming album I See A Darkness under his Bonnie "Prince" Billy alias. It might be the most canonized record of Oldham's long career, thanks in part to the fact that Johnny Cash covered the title track, with Oldham singing backup, one year later. Rosalía also covered "I See A Darkness"; her version closes out her 2017 debut album Los Ángeles. Most versions of "I See A Darkness" are supremely heavy-hearted, so Alexis Taylor and Mike Simonetti have naturally transformed it into sparkling synthpop.
It works pretty well! The sadness and the sparkle coexist peacefully in this version. Elizabeth Wight, Simonetti's partner in the duo Pale Blue, sings backup, just as she did on "Perfect Kiss." Ben Crook directed Taylor and Simonetti's "I See A Darkness" video, and it stars Taylor alongside the German actor David Bredin. Jarvis Cocker and Sian Ahern make cameos. In a press release, Taylor has a lot to say about it:
Sat in the dark in a hotel room on my own on tour, and after three aborted attempts to work with different filmmakers to get something made for "I See A Darkness," I came up with a very simple idea myself, to accompany the music and to try to get to the emotion and the narrative at the core of Will Oldham’s beautiful song. I saw the room that we see in the film — the scene, the two men facing each other and getting closer in their armchairs as the intensity of what they sing to each other increases. I saw the lady at the center and back of the same space, illuminated by lamp light for the choruses, and the red balloon hovering over the 4 people in the scene. I wanted this to be like a televised Samuel Beckett play, and to be surreal, simple, and emotionally direct. Ben Crook helped me massively, understanding my vision, directing beautifully and bringing the whole thing to life.
I cast David Bredin after meeting him in Rostock, Germany and believing he would be right for the role. I’m glad I trusted my gut. He delivers an incredibly moving performance and somehow exceeded my expectations of what we could achieve emotionally in this short film. He clearly feels what he is conveying through the lyrics, and you can’t miss that.
Jarvis Cocker and Sian Ahern are both composed and brilliant in their supporting roles, and they were there to represent Mike Simonetti and Elizabeth Wight’s musical roles in the track.
Bonnie himself is there in spirit, all "busted up," to quote another of his songs; the sculpture was made as a surprise for me by Ben.
It was a joy to conceive this and to work on it with Ben Crook and the whole team on the day. The best experience I have had on a video shoot. I hope people connect with it!
Below, check out that video and the Bonnie "Prince" Billy original.
The "I See A Darkness" b/w "Perfect Kiss" single is out 6/12 on Smugglers Way.
English (US) · 