After weeks of coyly teasing fans with behind-the-scenes sneak peeks on social media, KID BRUNSWICK released the music video for “The Feel” today.
Quirky and fun, the video is pure satire and provides commentary on modern dating culture without taking itself too seriously.
Check it out–
Over the course of the video, you see the rise and fall of a relationship in four minutes – all based on unspoken impressions and impulses. It ends just as quickly as it starts. While it’s a direct reference to reality shows like The Bachelorette and Love Island, the chaos depicted can be directly applied to the “regular” dating scene as well.
“Ever since I was young, I was intrinsically unhappy with who I was. I didn’t understand why I felt that way, but I always felt uncomfortable. I always felt less than. Looking back on it, I think [that it] was a way of coping because of the trauma I went through.”
Harry James, Dec 2020, interview with MQ.
With the prevalence of dating apps like Tinder, it has become so easy to dismiss someone over a three-point biography with a simple swipe of a finger; dating has been reduced to a closed loop of no one ever being good enough while simultaneously never being good enough ourselves.
It’s a known problem, of course, but like the show host taunts at the end of the music video—we’ll be back for more, still wondering who will catch ‘the feels’ next, and for how long.
This is the perfect visual to accompany the track.
I highly recommend watching this video a few times through and making sure to pay attention to all the details, from the well-crafted contestant biographies & introductions, to the energy that this show host brings to the opening & closing segments.
It certainly is a ride.
Originally released on July 9th, 2021 as the fourth single from KID BRUNSWICK’s sophomore album XFOREVER, “The Feel” is the track that stood out to me the most during my first listen-through of the album. It’s cathartic, it’s hypnotic, it’s the audio equivalence of a dream sequence; this is one of those songs that has such an infectious chorus and unforgettable bridge that it will get stuck in your head for weeks on end.
It’s an anthem for anyone who’s ever been in too deep—be it in their own self-doubt or in their “feels”—a song about a deep-rooted restlessness, a void that can’t be filled by anything but self-acceptance.
This song will make you unpack your feelings and sing your heart out—just give into it.
UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM & WORKING WITH MIKE SHINODA
“The Feel” is one of two tracks written in collaboration with rock master Mike Shinoda. In a recent interview with Kerrang magazine, both artists spoke on the experience.
After hearing KID BRUNSWICK’s 2020 hit “Bipolar Rhapsody”, Shinoda couldn’t help but get involved with this project.
“I thought ‘Bipolar Rhapsody’ was spectacular, especially for a ’new’ artist. I immediately connected with it and wanted to see what else he was working on. […] I worked on a couple of songs on ‘XFOREVER’ called ‘The Feel’ and ‘Skin,’ both of which are great, and we’ve spoken about doing more in the future. Blending genres like this isn’t a new thing, but what changes – and gives definition to who people like Kid Brunswick are as artists – is choosing what things to blend, in what amounts, and figuring out what original ideas you can bring to the party.”
Mike Shinoda, July 2021, RockCelebrities.
Like much of his generation, Harry James, the mastermind behind KID BRUNSWICK, grew up as a major Linkin Park fan. Having the opportunity to work directly with Mike Shinoda was “like a dream come true”. James went on to say, “To my knowledge, I’m the only British artist that [Shinoda]’s come on board and executive produced thus far, which is nuts. Mike seems to really love the record, and I’m unbelievably excited about it too.”
We all are excited about it, Harry.
XForever is the one album that literally rendered me speechless, consumed by my feelings and by some the best music I have heard in years.
If I’m honest, my favorite game to play is to introduce James’ music to new listeners and count how many times they ask me “is this still KID BRUNSWICK?” because no two songs in his entire discography sound the same.
In an interview with RockSound, James explained why this album in particular is as eclectic as it is:
“From the dark to the positive stuff I had been through, I focused on getting the full scale of human emotion into this mixtape. That’s why now, all of the songs sound so different.”
Harry James, Aug 2021, RockSound.
The thing you have to understand about KID BRUNSWICK is that every song he releases is not just well-blended “rhythm & grunge”, a style uniquely his, but a testament to survival and the human experience at large.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Connect with KID BRUNSWICK across social media & streaming services:
ON TOUR THIS FALL
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