Watch: MVSCLES – “somethin”

After a year in “record label jail” that prevented them from releasing new music in 2013, Boston electro-pop duo MVSCLES return in fine form with the video for “somethin”.

Fans of previous singles “sweet n sour” and “where you are” will find a lot to like in Chad and Cat’s latest release. “somethin” is a dense, near-perfect arrangement of blissed-out island beats and hooky synth lines. As in their previous work, however, it’s the sweet boy-girl vocal harmonies that make this track special.

Equally sweet is the story behind the video. Cut from footage compiled by Chad’s great-grandfather in the 1960′s, and converted from 8mm by his grandfather, the video serves a dual purpose. As visual accompaniment, somersaults are performed, piano keys are mashed, and dancers take the stage, all more or less to the beat. The video is also a nostalgic embodiment of the vocal refrain: “visions are flashing, they’re everlasting.”

Chad said:

“Back in 2011, before MVSCLES, Cat and I were visiting my family in Washington state, and my grandpa shared this beautiful footage from the 1960s with us. He had converted it from 8mm film to VHS. When I mentioned that I’d love to use it for music one day, he converted it to DVD right away (age 84!). The day after we edited the footage, we shared it with Grandpa & Grandma Montermini. We guided them on the phone to view it privately online, so we heard their initial reaction; lots of laughter. That made us happy. We learned that most of the footage was filmed by my great-grandfather; mostly taken of my relatives, along with beautiful shots from all around Washington& Oregon. Snowy landscapes at Hurricane Ridge, kids swinging on a prune tree in McCleary, floats adorned with beauty queens and bouquets, and a ferry crossing the bay invite you on a journey transcending the beautiful Pacific Northwest.”

Taken as a whole, “somethin” is a tribute to life well lived, and a reminder to the viewer to make the most of their own visions. They are, after all, everlasting.