The Duo Explains: CUT_ - 'Love and Alcohol'
Amsterdam Electronic Pop duo CUT_ talk to us about their creative trailer trash chic visuals for ,‘Love & Alcohol’, featuring a cast of characters representing a different personality and a different love affair.
Taken from CUT_’s upcoming debut album, ‘A Small Group Of Individuals ‘, ’Love & Alcohol’ is a warm and uplifting infusion of electronic pop celebrating love, even in its most tumultuous, transient form.
CUT_ Explains:
Where was the video for 'Love & Alcohol' filmed?
We shot the video on the fringe of Amsterdam in a rugged pasture owned by Herbert whom we met when shooting the video for ‘Not Addicted To You’. He has an amazing old farmhouse and a love for old cars that he keeps in this big barn. We were free to shoot there and use all these amazing backdrops inside and out. Even his partly wild cat named Beast got a small part in the video.
How does the video connect with the song? (if at all)
The theme throughout the album gives us insight in the human mind. Laying bare the different personalities one holds inside. It became apparent when finishing the songs every song has a very different energy and feel to it. We felt that even though the songs are all written by us it feels as if the songs are from the perspective of different characters. ‘Love & Alcohol’ is about a tumultuous love affair that was always doomed to fail although there’s a certain beauty to it. “When the fire burns this high, you know there’s not much time. There is no question why”. She looks back upon it with fondness and reminisces throughout the song whilst telling the other person to move on and let go. All characters in the video represent a different side, a different love affair, celebrating the beauty in each one.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
We got to work with Remko Schnorr again who is an amazing DOP and loves to work with real film. He also worked on the documentary about Grace Jones. All the outdoor shots were shot on 35 mm film which gives a very different flow of shooting because you have to do it in no more than 3 takes to save film.
The big dog you see sitting next to our model Mierijn (the one with the crazy long legs) was owned by one of Herbert’s friends who happened to drop by so the director asked if we could use him in a shot. Mierijn was scared shitless of it.
There’s one shot in front of a car covered in green sheet where Belle is kneeling. It was such an awkward position she couldn’t walk for ten minutes afterwards and had to be carried back to the green room.
Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The imagery is all about distorted reality. It looks normal but when you think about it and look closely you’ll find it’s all actually quite strange. When you are in the middle of such a love affair you most of the time don’t see the absurdity of your behaviour until you take a step back and sober up.
Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
We really want people to embrace all these different sides to themselves. You should never apologise for what you feel or what you are. Sometimes it doesn’t work out between two people but it doesn’t mean it will never. You just have to wait until the right one comes along. Even though it can all feel very dramatic after a while this feeling will fade and you can move on and hopefully look back on it with fondness. It’s all about accepting yourself and the people around you.
Interview feature by Karla Harris