What would your anxieties look like under a microscope? Plastic Barricades, a London alt-rock duo, examines this question with the music video for their upcoming single, “Tunnel.” Filmed through a digital microscope, the video continues the traditions of DIY with its unique approach and one-of-a-kind footage.
Based in London and Paris, Plastic Barricades is made up of Dan Kert (Guitar / Vocals) and Paul Love (Drums / Production). The project “chronicles life in the troubled yet fascinating XXI century, asking questions and trying to find answers.” Musically inspired by Radiohead, Foo Fighters, and Snow Patrol, among other iconic acts, Plastic Barricades is self-described as “romantic and honest, gloomy and curious, [and] melodic and melancholic.” The third single from their upcoming LP, Self-Theories, “Tunnel” is their latest release, and was dropped on July 6, 2020.
With “Tunnel,” the band wanted to create something to remind listeners that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. “Sometimes it feels like life is this winding road with plenty of tunnels. You go in, it is dark and uneasy, and pretty soon you start wondering how long this tunnel is. Visibility is reduced, you cannot increase your speed or turn back. It starts to feel claustrophobic. Your thoughts are amplified, loudly reverberating in your head. All you can do is keep reminding yourself that no tunnel lasts forever and you will make it out of this one, like all the previous ones you’ve been to – and you will see sunlight again!”
“Tunnel” was written and recorded in a backyard shed studio in northwest London, and was mixed by Paul Love and mastered by Andy Baldwin at Metropolis Studios.
Beginning with bouyant bass tones and trickling guitar, “Tunnel” highlights a feel-good aesthetic in both its lyrics and instrumentals. The bass tone sets an impeccable platform for the brightness of the guitar and lightness of the vocals, but doesn’t back down in the track’s more intense moments. While not the focal point of the song, the twinkling guitar does wonders in the way of adding to the mood of the instrumentals and paralleling vocal tones, creating a pleasing symmetry within the song.
The lyrics of “Tunnel” tell a story within their vivid diction. We start off in a space that feels confined and frightening despite its normalcy: “Driving through a tunnel and the rain just stops / You’re on your own for now, and you really miss that sound / Scared of being left alone with your thoughts and feelings you’ve ignored / Only static on the radio /Mixed with emptiness from long ago.” The emotions held within the first verse juxtapose with those in the final words of the song, showing the listener that, although the metaphorical tunnel may be a disarming place, it never lasts forever. “When all the noises fade and you can hear your heart / It’s beating fast / Transcending all that happened in your past / Embrace the darkness if you want to win this fight / Please carry on, emerge into the light!”
The music video is just as dynamic as the track itself. Deep, swirling colors and tangible textures make the video a veritable treasure trove for sensory sensations of all forms.
“Tunnel’s” full, summery feel and positive message makes it perfect for the season’s brightest playlists. Fans of bands like the Arctic Monkeys, Quorum, and Rags & Riches will enjoy Plastic Barricades’ latest track greatly.
Plastic Barricades’ upcoming LP, Self-Theories, is due to drop in Fall 2020.
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If you enjoyed Plastic Barricades, check out Where the Wildthings Are: A Review of “Tunnelvision”, RAGS AND RICHES Has Arrived!, Heavenly Faded is in CTRL and Here to Stay, and Meet Quorum, Your New Favorite Band.
***Like the majority of my reviews, a submission fee was charged for this post.***
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