In the pantheon of the international music scene, a talented group from Los Angeles has recently caught the attention of many. They are called Mirror of Venus and their music has a dreamy and distinctive post-punk sound. The group is made up of Joy DaMert, Jose Espinoza, Heidi Weber, and Margot Rhodes, and together they create a rhythm that is reminiscent of the pioneering post-punk bands from the late ’70s and early ’80s in the UK, like The Durutti Column, Sad Lovers & Giants, and Wire…
Now, Mirror of Venus unfurls a video for the single “Never Say Forever,” a hypnotic, melodic track with gorgeous vocal interplays spanning the sublime to the feral, anchored by gorgeous guitar work and pulsing drums, culminating in a glorious hook.
The song delves into the emotional turmoil of an individual who feels alienated from the contemporary world. This individual grapples with a persistent internal dialogue, persuading them to erase their true self to conform to a digitally-crafted persona. This new identity craves aesthetic perfection, adulation through photographs, and a portrayal of flamboyant extroversion, diverging from their usual reserved demeanor.
As the song progresses, the individual starts doubting their transformation, stirred by the ‘voice’ within them. This doubt begins to question the authenticity of the joy and fulfillment projected by others through their online avatars, leading to a critical examination of the inherent truthfulness or lack thereof in these virtual personifications.
“The song is about a person who feels isolated from the modern world and begins to battle with an internal monologue that is trying to convince them that the only way to fit in is to completely lose their true identity and to succumb to a new digital version of themselves,” says Espinoza, also of LA darkwave project, Shock Doctrine.
Directed by Joy DaMert and Freak Daddy, The video has a retro feel to it and brings to mind late-night infomercials and 80s cable television staple, Night Flight, as well as performance videos from the mid-2000s by artists like Geneva Jacuzzi. The video depicts a woman struggling with the negative effects of fame.
Watch “Never Say Forever” below:
Listen to the single below via Spotify, or find it on Bandcamp here:
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