Live Review: PREMIERE: TEES get colourful and lofi with 'Collide' video
Wollongong dance duo TEES bring their first single in two years, 'Collide', to life with some colourful, lofi and weird new visuals.
Just a few weeks ago, Wollongong dance duo TEES officially ended their two-year hiatus and made a splash with their new single, 'Collide'. Picking up right where they left off, but with a newly revitalised sense of artistic identity, we described 'Collide' as "captivating" at the time of release saying it tapped "back into the classic house sounds we’ve come to love from the duo while also showing the last two years have been spent hard at working refining and distilling their sound." Now, the pair have gone one step further and are bringing their new single to life with some equally entrancing visuals, and we are thrilled to be premiering them right here on Purple Sneakers.
A vivid exploration of all things colourful, lofi and a bit weird, the video for 'Collide' is an immersive experience from start to finish. Examining the aesthetic of early video synths, it's the perfect visuals accompaniment for the sprawling, 7-minute single as it blooms and swells over and over, the visuals distorting and switching as the track chugs along. The clip speaks to this newly reinvigorated vision TEES have for their project, adding further depth to the controlled euphoria of their unique house-pop.
Sean, one half of the duo, says “this was lots of fun to make. Our friend Danny Wyld aka Low Flung had his video synth handy and was cool to help recapture some simple footage and the outcome has made for a perfect trippy feel for our lounge lizard track. I think our aim initially was to just create something that harnessed the mood of the song whilst also exploring that early 90s digital vibe. Think Hocus Pocus’ ‘Here’s Johnny’ or Earth, Wind and Fires ‘Lets Groove’ but more like a collage of sweet coloured bliss."
He continued, saying, "We feel the video definitely lends to the experience of the song, especially considering it’s length. With the songs wavering structure and dreamy ‘Sade-esque’ vocals hovering throughout, the ever-changing textures and tones of the colours really do accentuate the story Lizzy is expressing throughout. The track explores the unpredictable nature of the night and how, even when you don’t expect it, a chance encounter can emerge that can throw you off balance. With the dizzying colourscapes and shifting frames, we feel this captures that random and unforeseeable experience perfectly and feels a lot more expressive to present in this fashion as opposed to showing an actual narrative per se.”
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If you're hankering for a bit of live music after many months without it and you want to see this track brought to life, you are in luck! TEES have also announced single launch parties in Sydney & Wollongong for November, where they’ll bring ‘Collide’ to life live, as well as revisiting favourites from their debut EP. TEES will be performing at Oxford Arts Factory, on Thur 12 Nov, with support from Greenwave Beth. Tickets to their Sydney show are available here. They will also be playing at La La La’s in Wollongong, on Tues 17 Nov, with tickets available to purchase here.
Watch the 'Collide' clip below:
'Collide' is out now.
Words by Emma Jones
Image by Aristo Risi
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