SEATBELTS – SINFUL CITY

With their new track ‘Sinful City’, Seatbelts explore the themes of capitalism, modernisation, and escapism touched upon in their previous EPs. Big city living has its drawbacks – one can fnd themselves in high demand. How is our sense of self infuenced by the temptations found in the shimmery delights of the modern city? “A lifestyle on constant trial… Despair and desperation take hope”, sings James Madden (vocals/guitar), his urgent vocal delivery painting a picture of an inner drama unravelling: a fInal attempt to seek beauty, hope, and clarity within a sinful metropolis.

The driving beat, the factory-like horns, and the unrelenting bass loop evoke Chaplin, lost in ‘Modern Times’, or the futurist landscapes of Fitz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’. During the middle-eight, an escape is glimpsed as the track swoops into a sweeter, dream-pop moment, but this is no sooner snatched away and replaced by our familiar four walls.

Accompanying the release is a music video, which collages stock-footage of daytime TV advertising and 90s YouTube memes, inducing Adam Curtis-esque, laugh or cry viewing. Combined with the music, this nauseating cacophony of visuals presents us with constant development, faster and more up-to-date, elevated leisure, wall-street- money, social privileges, the ‘ideal’ lifestyle…

“…let’s leave this sinful city, my dreams are drained and crumbling, I’m afraid I’ll evaporate to nothing.”