Origins is a recurring new music series giving artists the opportunity to share exclusive insights into their latest release. Today, Sad Night Dynamite breaks down the music video for their new track, “What Does That Make Me?”
It’s a treat to see Sad Night Dynamite in the sunshine. Usually, the stylish UK duo (comprised of Archie Blagden and Josh Greacen) paints its unique universe in dark shades of blue and purple, with spooky, gothic sonics and melodies that are both eerie and comforting. But for the video for their newest track, “What Does That Make Me?,” the duo decided to expand their universe to include brighter hues, with cerulean skies, bright green flora and fauna, and strong blasts of golds and yellows.
“Even though at first this song is very different for us, we want Sad Night Dynamite to be a complete world containing many different climates,” the band tells Consequence of the new video, “So, we were really inspired to just build out from what we’ve started.”
Indeed, the sun-soaked visuals of the new video hint at a brand new era for Sad Night Dynamite, but it’s not all butterflies and roses — the doubt that characterizes “What Does That Make Me?” is perfectly translated into its video, with Blagden and Greacen frequently turning their confused, fraught gazes directly at the camera, and various characters making a perfect day feel a bit like Ari Aster’s Midsommar (which happens to be a major inspiration point for the video).
But one look at the video for “What Does That Make Me?” is all you need to understand Sad Night Dynamite’s signature star power — as Blagden and Greacen trade verses over slick hip-hop production and psychedelic hues, it’s clear that this is a band that is after something just as exciting visually as they are sonically.
Get a first look at Sad Night Dynamite’s sunny music video for “What Does That Make Me?” and check out the band’s Origins breakdown below.
Note: You can catch Sad Night Dynamite on their 2022 North American tour; tickets are available here.
Identity:
We’ve all had that feeling, after you’ve behaved a certain way and you’re pranging out, wondering what people will think of you. Your behavior often defines you but a lot of the time it’s completely at odds with who you truly are deep down. Especially in your twenties.
G-Funk:
We were hugely inspired by old hip hop from the ’90s. This track definitely has a summery feel which came from visiting places like Miami and LA. The buzz in those places is intoxicating.
The Floaters:
This track came at a time when we really needed somewhere to escape to. Life was pretty stagnant, and I think we enjoyed jumping out of the normal monotony into the more colorful world of The Floaters (where the original sample came from). It’s a lot lighter than most of our other music, and we were really drawn to trying something new.
We first heard the sample in a session with Benjy Gibson, he’s a mate of ours and a great writer. He was playing us a load of music, most of which we hated, and we were nearly asleep (sorry Benjy), but then, suddenly, he played us this, and he’d added the chorus hook as well (sung it himself). It jumped out of the speakers and Archie and I both knew it was something, so we took it away and finished it.
Midsommar:
Midsommar
The endless sunshine and blue skies in this film helped us imagine the setting for this song. The juxtaposition between the bright sky and the dark storyline is something we were very drawn to. We were imagining blistering heat and the desperate and sickening feeling of being in the sun too long.
Live Music:
We’ve been playing live for about a year now and it has definitely influenced the kind of music we want to write. Seeing how the crowd responds to certain songs is amazing and sometimes surprising. I think we are hoping this new tune will be a highlight of our sets — it will definitely bring a new flavor.