Ocean-themed visuals of bare skin and a blood stained filter wash ashore a new single from the Seattle three-piece Helms Alee entitled “Tripping Up The Stairs.” No longer a peaceful shore, bare feet run wild amongst the wet soiled lands as mirages of the bands faces scream into the abyss. “Tripping Up The Stairs” pits nightmarish synths against a barrage of distortion to tell the concept of control.
The director Ron Harrell notes:
The idea that I wanted to convey when we set out filming the video was an uncomplicated yet visually compelling version of finding said control. To me it became as simple as floating at sea and finding sure footing on land. Helms Alee has a pretty hydrous identity as it is, so incorporating that part came naturally. I had an initial cut of the video that was a little cleaner and realistic, visually speaking. The band saw it and, what I heard them say was ;that’s great, now fuck it up.’ So I fucked it up and this is the result.”
The piece no matter how screwed and manipulated runs wild thanks to the blend of viking-like percussions, striking guitar, and a bottom of the belly bear call that parallels the down-to-Earth visuals of placing feet firmly on the ground from which we came after being tossed in the waves. Critics claim this may be their most dynamic and technicolored unit to date. This new approach remains evident in first single and album opener “See Sights Smell Smells,” from their upcoming album Keep This Be the Way.
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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