Week in Pop: Banny Grove, Beasteater, Mean Jolene

Post Author:

Black Ferns

Introducing Black Ferns; photographed by Stephanie Oster.
Introducing Black Ferns; photographed by Stephanie Oster.

Introduce yourselves to Seattle’s Black Ferns, lead by Zoran Macesic along with his buddies Chris Jordan & Riley Geare from Unknown Mortal Orchestra who present us with the world premiere of their arty & oceanic video for “Factory Worker” from Sophia Segal. Seen & heard playing shows in the Pacific northwest, the trio has been sketching material for their second record slated for release in 2017 as their debut self-titled is being pressed to wax to coincide with Black Ferns’ tour this fall. The following visual accompaniment for their single “Factory Worker” entertains the group’s creative dichotomy of dystopian ideas in the modern age mixed with the aquatic obsessions (& attachments, attractions, connections, etc) & searches for that sublime sense of unmatched serenity.

“Factory Worker” takes us to the western shores of Washington where we are met with a mysterious figure with open arms & obfuscated in sight by a barrage of creative colors, effects & filters that fully immerse you into the Black Ferns visions. With the harmonized chorus invitation of “welcome to modern times” you are brought to the beach with your mysterious & mystique shaman who leads you about the wilderness from old piers to nearby vegetation. Overlaying visuals of oils making designs in water can be seen throughout the video that give it an otherworldly quality where the escape from the routine drudgeries described in “Factory Worker” becomes a magical gateway that exists where the bodies of water & land meet like hands folded & held in congress.

Black Ferns’ Chris Jordan shared the following exclusive insights on the song & the video counterpart:

The lyrics for “Factory Worker” present the cycle and inner workings of getting lost in the dark corners of your own mind. Sometimes not even realizing how you got to the place you are or when you started spiraling down. The day to day automation that happens in life can cause a stirring inside oneself that can have the effect of living in your own horror movie, making you question your own reality.

The dark figure in the video represents the abstract culmination of the ever present demands on the psyche. The song and video end with the feeling of conflict still lingering, however with a glimpse of salvation and resolution.