Tag Archives: Popgang Records

Niteppl – Whispers [TMN VIDEO PREMIERE]

Niteppl
Whispers

A few months back we premiered Niteppl‘s “Shadows”, a dark, electro-pop jam off their sophomore album Nu Flesh. The San Francisco duo dropped the project shortly after and it felt like the perfect elaboration on that sound keeping things hazy, yet synth-filled and addicting, with an embedded narrative through out. “Whispers,” the follow-up single, has been making its rounds among tastemakers and radio stations in the Bay Area and we’re excited to have the premiere of its official video–the first ever visuals from Niteppl.

Matching the 80s-coated vibe of the project, the video begins in a 1982 San Francisco motel with its protagonists, a couple in the midst of a forlorn love affair. As the song’s potency emerges so does the emotional intensity and storyline of the video with a slew of cocaine-and-romance induced ups and downs. Director Eugene S.B. does a fantastic job of building the narrative and maintaining a consistent aesthetic through out as the couple try to escape the grip of what appears to be either a pimp or ex-lover. It’s a great accompaniment to what’s become a breakout song for Niteppl adding a new depth that, in many ways, changes the way we hear the track.

Related items:

[TMN PREMIERE + Q&A] Niteppl – Shadows

Niteppl
Shadows

Electronic music is often at its most fascinating when it pulls from seemingly unlikely influences. San Francisco duo Nitepplalthough certainly inspired by genre’s greats, are a perfect example–incorporating disco, 80s-revivalist and even some Beach Boys-era styles in their music. Their 2013 debut, Cult, was a mostly instrumental project that showcased a distinct nu-disco sound, particularly on our favorite track “Transmission”. The latest iteration of Niteppl features two members, Alton and Sawyer, and their upcoming album, Nu Flesh, builds off the style established on the debut project adding a marked emotional depth with Sawyer’s vocals and unique songwriting ability.

We’ve got the premiere of the second single from that upcoming project and it’s one that we haven’t been able to stop playing since we first heard it. “Shadows” features an ominous backing synth melody giving it a neon-80s atmosphere particularly when combined with additional instrumental layering. Paired with Sawyer’s haunting vocals, it’s an enchanting tune that draws you in while proving strangely addicting. See what they had to say about the track below:

Sawyer: Well, “Shadows” initially began as a simple lyrical line I had written after having a girl enter my life, tug on my heart strings for a bit, then disappear. So I suppose the song is questioning the reality of brief but significant interactions with another person. Did you affect each other in the same way; or was one of you really there at all?

Alton: “Shadows” vocally, I think, comes from a really personal place for Sawyer, as do I think all the lyrics on Nu Flesh. This is the third track on the album and it comes after two pretty big, opening tracks. We placed it in a specific way so that it could add a bit of emotional introspection early in the record.

Check out the single above, grab a free download here, and get to know Niteppl a bit better in the rest of our quick Q&A below. Nu Flesh drops on August 18th on Popgang RecordsContinue reading

Related items: