Berlin’s Marta Raya (Tanzkommando Untergang; Monowelt), unleashed her new video for Laurentiustränen, a dark, sensual synth number off her album Reflection, due to be re-released in February 2020 as a limited 12” vinyl LP via EINS: ZWEI: ACHT.
Each August, meteors fall in a spectacular shower known as The Perseids. Saint Laurentius, whose feast day is commemorated every August 10, met his martyrdom on an outdoor iron grill. The August skies have been described throughout history as “crying stars,” giving rise to the colloquial term, “St. Lawrence’s tears” (Laurentiustränen in German).
Laurentiustränen’s lyrics describe the annual August starfall as “drops of sorrow,” comparing them to a smile, a figure, a flash of the eyes – all memories one wishes to hold dear forever, but as ephemeral as the flash of a plummeting meteor.
The video visually complements the Polish-born Raya’s clear, minimalist vocals. A collaborative effort between Raya, Georgina Pentskart and JJD (as Flustervision), Laurentiustränen was filmed on location on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast. The rugged landscape serves as a dramatic backdrop, with a generous helping of retro-futuristic effects. Raya’s kohl-lined eyes pop out against hi-contrast crags, ancient walls, and cloudy skies. She weaves in and out of the background; a melancholy traveler through the time-space continuum.
Watch the video below:
Soft Riot’s Jack Dkwrth of Possession Records had this to say about the video’s production in a recent blog post.
“Over the years I’ve become increasingly more interested in video, channeling this into the numerous videos I’ve done for Soft Riot and Possession Records over the years, as well as perhaps having a strong interest in film in general. It’s an artform that for me bridges the gap between music, film that I’m interested in as well as my years of experience being a graphic designer. Around a year ago I teamed up with local video artist and video effects wizard Georgina Penstkart to do something creative with a partner, mainly as all the music and graphic design I do was a one-person operation and I was craving to work with other people again. Previously that had been playing in bands but I thought I’d try something that I hadn’t done before. We opted to choose the name Flustervision for our video work, the name chosen from a fake film credit used in the Possession Records Short Film 02 video released late last year.
Last year we shot a lot of footage for a video for Berlin-based artist Marta Raya on her visit to play in Glasgow, using locations in the Clyde Muirshiel moors outside of Glasgow as well as a few locations along the Ayrshire coast, including Dunure Castle and Portencross Castle. We also shot footage in the studio on a green screen. This footage was layered and composited together in an initial edit and then treated through a number of Penstkart’s analogue modular video synthesizers.”
“REFLECTION” will be released as a 12″ LP on EINS:ZWEI:ACHT in February of 2020.
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