Cape Town rockers We Kill Cowboys’ latest single “R.I.P.” is a departure from their previous offering, “Patience”. The more grungier track delves into the dark side of human relationships and is carried by vocalist Alex Muller’s commanding, yet emotionally charged, vocal performance, displaying a large degree of vulnerability.
Characterised by heavy drumming and angsty lyrics, “R.I.P.” draws inspiration from grunge and stoner rock, showcasing the band’s genre fluidity, exploring themes of betrayal and resilience. Alex explains, “The song is about how we deal with the aftermath of being deceived after giving too much of ourselves and receiving no reciprocation.”
The broody number, accompanied by a video directed by Drummer Andrew Middelkoop and Adam Hanson, immerses viewers in a captivating narrative symbolising toxic relationships and the struggle for freedom. Featuring dark hues and a puppet master controlling shackled captives who go from being despondent to resisting against their restraints. The careful consideration of motifs helps strengthen the song’s message.
Andrew explains the symbolism of the visualiser, “The idea came from being shackled to a lot of things in life; being chained to toxic people and environments and feeling like a puppet with no free will.”
The video contains many intricate layers that help give it commendable depth. The inclusion of imagery of the puppet master also being chained to nothing in particular speaks to the complexity of characters in different roles in human interaction.
We Kill Cowboys manage to beautifully fuse vision and sound with “R.I.P.” The song Andrew describes as a “love song to narcissists” lends itself as evidence of the band’s ability to move its audience while giving them something to think about.
