Anti-folk/alt-rock superstar Beck has finally released the music video for his summer hit “Wow”. The video can be viewed below:
The video features rapid fire cuts between various surreal images, including but not limited to: cowboys running into the sunset, little kids dressed in kimonos dancing, a man exhaling smoke through his eyes, a rose with a curious center eye, deforming 3-D humanoid shapes, gyrating muscle men, and pixel art. Beck is obviously no stranger to peculiar music videos, but this one might just take the cake.
The track is quintessential Beck, in that you have no idea what to expect. The hip-hop and wobble inspired track “Wow” showcases Beck’s ability to play off of current music trends such as vocalized synthesizers and spin them in his own unique way. The track is more The Information era Beck than folk-Beck, as it clearly takes inspiration from hip-hop with a trickle of psychedelia. The trap-inspired hi-hats meld strangely but seamlessly with Beck’s ironic lyrics and pitch-shifted vocal samples. “Wow” is Beck’s first new song release since 2014’s Grammy award-winning Morning Phase. The track marks a sharp departure from the smooth, folk-inspired album, so fans have no idea what to expect for his upcoming release.
Fans of Beck can catch him this fall, as he just announced a series of upcoming tour dates. The tour is to promote his upcoming untitled album.