Live Review: Jamie xx shares intense new visuals for 'Idontknow'

What has been heralded as one of this year's best songs already (by us, but many others as well) has now received some very fitting visuals. Jamie xx's first single in five years, 'Idontknow', now has an accompanying music video and it's a fittingly intense watch.

Starring Oona Doherty dancing around the streets of a very empty Belfast, the visuals were filmed the night before the city entered a coronavirus-enforced lockdown. Doherty co-directed the clip alongside Luca Truffarelli, and said the jarring, urgent movements in her dancing were intentional to bring forth the stress that is evident in the song.

“I was hitting the beats, but instead of having a long back and long arms and making the beat look beautiful, I was trying to hit the beat in frustration, because of the text that was sent [in the narrative of the video],” she said when speaking to Dazed.

“I’m like, “For fuck’s sake,” stressing out, in a rush to go meet someone. The beat is an exaggeration of what a normal movement would be – an extreme version of physical mannerisms.”

Along with the visuals, Doherty has also shared a verse to the song:

“I don’t know

Boiling up inside ya, Like a kettle

Like a frying pan spitting hot oil out.

Roaming, soaking, empty streets

Blue tv light beaming out

A dirty beat

Our stamping feet

Don’t know where to put it

Some times

Some times you just need a hug”

A huge isolation mood. Watch the 'Idontknow' video below:

Words by Emma Jones

Image via Dazed

LISTEN TO NEW MUSIC HERE

SEE ALSO

LISTEN BACK TO JAMIE XX'S UPLIFTING ESSENTIAL MIX

JAMIE XX UNLEASHES FLOOR-FILLING NEW TRACK 'IDONTKNOW'