Dayton Swim Club - "Predatory Drift"
We’re excited to premiere the video for “Predatory Drift” from Los Angeles post-punk quartet Dayton Swim Club. The band just released their dark and seething debut Hangman, a record that simultaneously traffics in thudding, industrial-sounding low ends and the noir-hued fog of country-tinged freak folk. “Predatory Drift,” the album’s third single, is a nice microcosm of the band’s musical ethos. It’s full of chilling sonic accents, including a throbbing bassline and haunting backing vocals, and has a horror-themed lyrical focus that’ll send shivers down your spine. Frontman Nick Flessa’s narrative storytelling shines, as he brings life to the minute details that help visualize the setting in “Predatory Drift,” including a “food court in Diamondback Mall,” where some unsavory events go down. It’s the kind of song that’s made for attentive listening so that you can closely follow what unravels.
The cinematic video, which was directed by Will Wiesenfeld, has an eerie and weird atmosphere that pairs perfectly with the song’s mood and themes. The high-quality production follows Flessa as he encounters pitch-black pumpkins and bondage-masked individuals. There’s a real sense of unease that follows him, as you’re really not certain what’s going to happen next, and the speed of the video shifts from a sort of slow-mo to real speed without warning, adding an additional layer of tension. Wiesenfeld recently shared a little bit of background behind the inspiration and the making of the video:
The song “Predatory Drift” is so unsettling that the narrative and aesthetics I had floating around felt like these natural byproducts that I just needed to congeal together. The treatment more or less came together all in one sitting. It was a blast to write and to make, and only worked because an entire team of people, including the band, were able to come together on such short notice and work on such tight scheduling. I’m extra excited we get to put it out right around halloween. Enjoy.
Stream the video below!
Hangman is out now via Perpetual Doom. You can purchase it on limited edition cassette via Bandcamp. The album is also available to stream on Spotify. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram.
