Pierre Stemmett lends the power of seduction a dark-pop glaze in his new single and video “Shark”. At first glance it might sound predatory and I have a feeling that’s what he’s going for – but beneath the oceanic surface it’s really an ode to sexual tension which is as gripping as it is deeply relatable.
Lifted off his upcoming album Digital Beach Boy – which by title alone sounds like an audial treat – “Shark” channels his new dark-pop continuum via heady, piping synth, hazy hollow beats and ravishingly visceral lyrics which drive a sultry mood ahead of the subdued eeriness of the track as a whole.
“My heart, my ribs are filling up/ black eyes/ yeah, we only love what’s killing us,” Stemmett croons before an alt-rock chorus punches through. It encapsulates the gritty, varied dynamic of desire with grating ferocity.
The video, directed by Lara Wattam, pulls no punches with a shifting collage of black and white overlapping shots. Waterlogged shots of Stemmett himself counter devilish antique sketches, pulsing jellyfish, and the mysterious object of his swooning affections, in turn.
It’s a gorgeously unsettling exploration of sexual tension, and Stemmett effortlessly impresses with every note.
Feature pic supplied by artist
