Breaking the usual pattern of creating visuals for existing music, American minimal techno pioneer Troy Pierce and Colombian audiovisual artist Natalia Escobar (aka Poison Arrow) was conceived in reverse, taking inspiration from a collection of shadowy surrealist videos. The result is Pierce With Arrow (pun intended), a hypnotic, psychedelic trip into minimal, cinematic synth.
The latest release from the duo is “She Pined Away”, a story of shattered hearts chasing illusions, haunted by their shadows and self-projections. The song is from their upcoming LP, Shatter, due out on the 19th of February through Dais Records. The concept is a “simmering, slow-burn noir odyssey,” inspired by the Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus: “There is nothing more complex than a shattered heart, or a heart that can’t love.” The sentiment is expressed through subtle sleepwalker dub, metallic lament, broken beats, and erotic negative space.
The duo pursues a “spatial approach” with this project, manifesting in the music’s immersive design and methodical execution. Troy Pierce is known for his minimal techno productions, which include three studio albums, ten EPs, and a myriad of remixes for Depeche Mode, Juan Atkins, and The Knife. Natalia Escobar’s interdisciplinary output invokes moods of haunting melancholy, inspired by the dark side of love and desire. Her musical alter ego, Poison Arrow, uses hypnotic rhythms paired with provocative vocals in an interpretation of traditional Colombian cultural tropes.
The cinematic video, directed by Cornelia Thonhauser and Matze Görig, features Raphaëlle Boitel, Áza (Chaz Aracil), xxIsisxx, and Natalia Escobar in a slow-motion odyssey in the forest. It is haunting, captivating and a perfect accompaniment to the slow track. A moody journey into mythology, with a modern approach.
Pierce with Arrow’s Shatter is out February 19th via Dais Records.
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Featured photo courtesy of Cornelia Thonhauser.
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