Change is a word we’re all familiar with, and lately, the subject numerous artists are focusing on when it comes to their music. Not one to be overshadowed, experimental indie artist Chaz Bundick, also known as Toro Y Moi, adds his own anthem of life alteration to the mix of fresh releases out this summer, perfectly alluding to the melancholy feeling that is change with the help of 80s style melodrama keyboard riff, a synthesizer, and a music video with an equally aged appearance.
There’s something different about Toro Y Moi this time around, and even his staple clear framed glasses are missing in the music video for his latest track ‘You and I,’ released Thursday, where we find the artist slow jamming with himself in a room illuminated with sunbeams through stained glass. Singles from upcoming album Boo Boo, which has a planned release date of July 7 through Carpark Records, have shown significant growth from the artist's previous extensive list of work. They say that musical influences and trends make a comeback every 20 years or so, which seems fitting considering 'You and I' sounds like it borrowed tones from the hypothetical offspring of Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel.
Usually, the single drops before the music video, but it’s more helpful to appreciate all the glory that is ‘You and I’ for the first time with the visuals, where a barefoot Bundick utilizes the contrasting colors of aqua-stained tapestries and a mustard yellow t-shirt to compliment the perfectly simple aesthetic of a video that, overall, barely shares a story, but proves that sometimes showing three minutes of nothing can leave viewers with the most to think about.
“It’s so wild….everybody went and changed overnight,” croons Bundick, showcasing an issue that everyone in their early adulthood can regrettably relate to, and if you've ever sat at a party alone and thought about your feelings instead of playing flippy-cup with everyone else, 'You and I' is probably the soundtrack on repeat you never knew you needed for such pretentious moments of reflection. The song likely alludes to the loss of a lover, as Bundick has alluded to a breakup in multiple interviews regarding Boo Boo, however, the pang of sadness in his voice is one that's relatable to anyone today, even when drenched in genres from the past.
If the released singles are any indication of what it will be like to listen to Boo Boo, listeners are in for one of the most thoughtful albums of the summer. 'Omaha' was brilliant, 'Girl Like You' was infections, but 'You and I' is the best of them all…for now. Check out 'You and I,' directed by Harry Israelson, above.