Annie Hart of Au Revoir Simone Releases New Video With Karaoke Synth-Pop for “Hard To Be Still”

Annie Hart, known for her work in the acclaimed synth group Au Revoir Simone, has released a music video for the single “Hard to be Still” from her upcoming debut solo album Impossible Accomplice which is set to be released on Instant Records on September 15th.

The decidedly lo-fi video blends pulsating neon lights with straight shots of Hart singing along to the song with a deadpan look on her face. Some shots see Hart playing a bass or just singing into the microphone, which fits into the vibe of the music quite well. The entire thing has a karaoke-like feel as there is minimal video processing, aside from the cross-cutting of the swirling neon lights.

“Hard to be Still” is built around a set of shimmering synth lines and Hart’s high pitched vocal delivery, recalling the vintage sound of 80’s synthpop. Weaving fuzzed out basslines, icy vocals, and downbeat electronics, the track is sonically similar to Hart’s previous work in Au Revoir Simone The song ends as the credits roll up the screen as a few outtakes from the video shoot play, with Hart being listed in each credit, an impressive feat considering she composed and played on the entire track.

Hart will be embarking on a short US tour later this year, the dates are posted below:

08/24 – New York, NY – Garden Bar at South Street Sea Port
09/25 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bazaar
10/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Hotel Cafe
10/16 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
10/19 – Portland, OR – Holocene
10/20 – Seattle, WA – Timbre Room

You can watch the video for “Hard to be Still” below:

Andy Lindquist: Music news writer at mxdwn.com. Part of the mxdwn team since 2017. I have been writing about music for some time now and also play in an pop/rock band. I have a BA in rhetoric from UC Berkeley. Born and raised in the San Francisco bay area and still currently living out on the eastern side of the bay.
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