RBTS WIN, “Mountain Child”

Post Author: Sjimon Gompers

As a Halloween treat, RBTS WIN lead you to the psychedelic hills captured by the vintage Euro lens of Kent Hernandez in the video premiere of “Mountain Child”. In the visual treatment for the track from the Asheville, North Carolina duo’s album Palm Sunday, Javier Bolea and Cliff B. Worsham’s weekend holiday dreamscapes walk with a head filled with wonder and recited inner dramalogues. Natural dualities are illustrated by wild wilderness dwellers, possessing different auras told through color filters.

Starring the nature-raised sprites, played by Savannah Lindley Zoie Phipps and Jennifer Celeste Lawrence, glimpses into the sprites’ individual pagan worlds of light and dark are interspersed with Eric Graham’s footage of Cliff and Javier. Rock formations and leaf fixations occupy Savannah’s forest of blue, while Jennifer’s earth is bathed in hues of sunset orange and citrus yellow, seeking the replenishment and refuge of cool, fresh, running creek waters. Performing interpretive dance rituals and sorceress-like gesticulations, both opposing figures call upon their contrasting mystical forces that command night, day, and all living inhabitants from their land. RBTS WIN take the head spaces that are overloaded by the excesses of city lives and take flight for the rural rites and down to earth lifestyles of enchanted others living far away off the grid.

RBTS WIN’s Cliff B. Worsham and Javier Bolea as well as filmmaker Kent Hernandez took a moment to chat with us about their video for “Mountain Child”, what’s in store for 2015, and more.

What inspired this song about mountain dwellers running wild?
Cliff: I think I was trying to convey that living in rural settings can be just as wild as living in the city. There is a lot to get into when there is nothing to get into. Also overcoming personal problems that arise from those situations.

How did it become transformed into a vintage Italian-style horror video?
Kent: Well, to be clear, it only takes certain cues from “giallo” (Italian thriller/horror) films. Namely, close-up shots, overlays, use of natural lighting and color-grading. There is no “horror” really. It is more a psychedelic visual experience inspired by films from that genre and time period.

The concept was inspired by wanting to explore the mystical and majestic natural side of Asheville, NC. The two girls in the video represent the light and dark nature of the mountains, respectively. Being “children of the mountain,” they innocently explore the flora and fauna around them after waking from a state of hibernation. Both see the world through different lenses, one bathed in golden light, the other in icy bluish tones.

There is also more footage, which we hope to release at a later date in a short film format.

Halloween plans for RBTS WIN? Costume plans?
Javier: Fall in Asheville is a magical time—our favorite time of year to be in the studio and create. The past four years we’ve done Moogfest so this year we are taking the night off. Probably gonna hit up some Halloween parties dressed as Vincent Gallo and Christina Ricci from the film Buffalo ’66. Not gonna say who is going as who…

What’s next in the cards for RBTS WIN?
Javier: We are working on new music constantly and have multiple projects working. We’ve added some un-released tunes to the live set — a lot more touring in store, for sure. Nothing new to announce as of now but 2015 will not be far off from our usual slate of collabs, remixes and a new full-length release. Just trying to stay in a constant state of creation. K.I.T.

“Mountain Child” can be heard on RBTS WIN’s Palm Sunday out not on Tidal Prism.