You can confuse progress with stagnation in a less than perfect relationship. For LYAM, whose new single "Angel" is premiering at the top of the page, his hopeless cries for guidance are more part of an internal dialogue about a situation he can't get a grip on to properly assess. While he's alone with his thoughts ("nightcap on my own, hoping that I float"), he's not sure if she's worth, or even needs, saving ("maybe pray for her").
The Machine Operated-directed video splices together 8mm footage that plays around with the concept of time, similar to the flashbacks in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It is great complement to the shapeless, droning production that also samples, Sampha's "Plastic 100°C."
In an email, LYAM explained the inspiration for the song: "I wrote 'Angel' in quite a vulnerable space, in need of release or a guardian angel so to speak. The world as we know it today can be an absolute rollercoaster, especially for young people. Sometimes it’s hard to know if we're defying and heading towards our own future or if we’re still just busy untangling the past of generations before us."
"Angel" is available on DSPs now. Look out for a new project from LYAM this spring.
Photo: Yumi Carter