The Band Explains: NothingAboutME - 'SUMMER'S RAIN'

Trip-hop / Donwtempo duo NothingAboutME spoke to us about the idea behind their visuals for 'SUMMER'S RAIN'- a stand-out track tinged with emotive contrasts and contradictions.

"SUMMER’S RAIN explores the feelings associated with a seemingly inescapable relationship. The track portrays the desperation and emptiness of being stuck in a space where neither person is able to leave or hold on.The use of compression and droning arpeggio add to the tension of the lyrics, illustrating an overall sense of ineludible envelopment within the composition. Screaming synths and high-pitch vocals sing out the desire to escape while “dangling by a thread.”

 Evoking a sense of pouring rain, the liquescent quality of the music and the baseline’s pulsing generator add to the feeling of endlessness. The light and warmth within the relationship has been dampened and the love drowned out.

Melodically the verses have a child-like quality juxtaposed by a sense of the sinister. These elements are emphasised in the accompanying music video by BAFTA award-winning filmmaker/director, Martina Amati: “I often work with water and people floating in gravity defying or metaphysical spaces…for this pop-promo Ollie morphs in different shapes and movements, inspired by this incredible architectural setting.”

NothingAboutME Explains:
Where was the video for 'SUMMER'S RAIN' filmed?
It was filmed in Penzance, Cornwall. The majority of shots were filmed in an empty 1930’s iconic seawater lido 'Jubilee Pool’ 

How does the video connect with the song? 
We collaborated with Martina Amati, (BAFTA award-winning filmmaker & director) and we didn’t want to be literal. The idea was to work with the elements of water, emptiness, depth of thought and reflection felt towards the end of a relationship. Martina’s decision to edit the film backwards and then forwards connects to the journey within the song. Reflecting on what’s been and how to move forward and leave a relationship. 

Any behind the scenes stories?
Neither of us felt it necessary to appear in the Video and we loved Martina’s idea to cast Sarah’s son. The majority of the video was shot on an iPhone, very lofi and yet we all maintained a professional process as if it were a proper camera it was very amusing...” Action”, “Rolling” and the iPhone even had it's own stand!

There is a shot where water is pouring over Ollie’s face and it was done with him sitting in a greenhouse, while someone stood on a ladder with a watering can, pouring water onto the glass. Martina took the shot standing outside and it took quite a while to get the water right, which meant we had to keep changing the person holding the can as it was hard work!

The actual video was shot in April last year and it was freezing cold, which meant we only had a certain amount of time to shoot Ollie before he got cold and needed warming up…he was a real trooper!

Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
This is a quote from Martina Amati “An Historical empty Lido that is connected to the water in many different ways. This to me perfectly suited the lyrics of Summer’s Rain. I often work with water and people floating in gravity defying or metaphysical spaces...Ollie morphs in different shapes and movements, inspired by this incredible architectural setting”

What do you hope people take away from watching the video?
We think the video could stand alone as a short film cinematically... its fabulous. Equally the song and lyrics have their own power irrespective of the video, however together their connection creates some otherness which intensifies both. We prefer people to decide for themselves how they feel, it is open for interpretation like all art!

Interview Feature by Karla Harris

'SUMMER'S RAIN' is taken from the duo's upcoming EP due for release on Friday 13th July 2018