The new video finds the synth-rockers with their heads in the sand—literally.
Plastic Picnic, New Yorkers by way of the Pacific Northwest, have released a video for “After You” ahead of their sophomore EP, Vistalite. “After You” catches the band playing their dreamy, synth-heavy tune from a sandy shore, a public park, and atop craggy rock formations. With its cinematic closeups and washed-out color palette, the video carries on the band’s predilection for beach vibes and retro aesthetics. We see the quartet draped in an array of summery outfits, decked out in classic denim, white, brown, and beige as well as bright blue hoodies and varsity jackets.
“After You” has a breezy veneer, but one that’s punctured by moments of strange, surrealist flair. In monochrome closeup, the four band members sway eerily around a microphone. Singer Emile Panerio performs with his head buried in the sand, then croons for the camera while laying, fully clothed, against a rush of foamy waves on the shore. “Filming ‘After You’ we wanted to blend nostalgia and moodiness without taking ourselves too seriously,” the band told AdHoc via email. “We shot it in the Rockaways on a stormy day and by the end we were soaking wet and shivering, but we couldn’t stop laughing. Working with Hunter [Airheart] was great because we were able to have fun riffing off of certain ’90s aesthetics without feeling pigeonholed. The gray skies and windswept beach ended up as a great visual fit for the song. Instead of a straightforward sunny scene, you have a sense of darkness and ambivalence behind an upbeat surface.”
See Plastic Picnic with Toledo, Hypoluxo, and Pecas at Market Hotel on July 18. Vistalite drops July 19 (self-released).