There has seemingly been no rest for Berlin post-punk quartet Wires & Lights, who have followed up their singles “Drive”, and “Swimming”, with the deeply political song and video for “Sleepers”.
The video sees an insomniac Cowboy wander the German streets until dawn breaks, eyes purple with exhaustion, and disposing of something that should not be treated as a toy.
As for the song’s lyrical contents and message, not much has changed since Robert Wiene’s 1920 film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, whose somnambulist metaphor for the manipulated masses rings eerily true once again today.
Justin Stephens explains:
“’Sleepers’ came into life from watching the world and the choices people have been making in recent times. I’ve always liked watching people and working out what makes them tick, but this is the first time in my lifetime when so many people in so many countries have simultaneously been persuaded to vote against their own interests by bigots appealing to their bigotry and fear-mongers to their fears. They just sleepwalk through life, giving power to the very people who continue to cause their hardship and being persuaded to blame those who have even less. In essence you could call it a lament to people remaining passive in their own life chances and just continuing on a familiar well-trodden path, instead of casting off their comfort blanket, changing what’s making them unhappy and actually living life. Bigotry, religion and TV never changed anything for the good – they’re just tools of self-delusion.”
Watch the video for “Sleepers” below:
“Sleepers” is featured on Wires & Lights’ debut LP A Chasm Here and Now, due out September 13th via Oblivion.
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