“I thought I was beyond this phase,” I Feel Fine mutedly cry in the middle of their latest single, “Selfsame”. As the lead single from their upcoming debut album, The Cold In Every Shelter, it encapsulates the reoccurring theme of the collection: in identifying our flaws, and seeing how they reappear in different guises, we can eliminate them.
While the consistent drums delude us into a steady march forward, everything about this multimedia experience proves this is an illusion. The infinite visual loops in the music video drive the endless cycle home.
No matter how fast we run through these weird and wonderful abstract landscapes, we return to the same start. Even the new locales contain familiar elements, further illustrating that we never left.
Even the cyclical musical motifs and guitar riffs loop us in place. But the artfully delivered vocal lines provide some comfort—we’re not alone in this struggle. From the clear brotherhood behind the unison singing to the cathartic screams, this prison is universal.
There’s comfort in that shared experience. Through the technically complex rhythms and brutally honest personal journey laid bare before us, we both give and receive the emotional solidarity Nathan Tompkins (guitarist and vocalist) craves.
Watch “Selfsame” below. Pre-order the LP here.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
