Xiu Xiu has shared the dual single, “Arp Omni” and “Veneficium.” The two songs appear on the upcoming full-length album, 13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, out on September 27, on through Polyvinyl. To further help further explain the songs, Xiu Xiu says:“Arp Omni’ is a little sweetie ballad about falling for a person who takes risks in life,” while “Veneficium” is about “Being lost; literally lost, emotionally lost, lost in a smashed psychological dimension beyond your control, being overwhelmed by the weight of one’s insignificance in the face of time, space and death, and pointlessly railing against what does not notice let alone care about you.”
As for the music, the instrumentation shakes the background with elegant and bittersweet sound, while the compelling vocal performance serenades the ears with beautiful and emotional melody.
While talking about the music video, director Luke Orlando says: “On the conceptual level, I wanted to make something about the absurdity and complexity of how we connect with each other in the modern world. It started off as a critique of doomscrolling, but Xiu Xiu pushed and enabled me to make it more esoteric and interesting at every turn. Where we ended up is a much more positive spin on finding community by openly sharing your interests with the world.”
Orlando adds: “In the end, it became a very ideal art project I found myself working with some of my best friends to hand-paint toast, fabricate a bespoke costume, and create a unique logic inspired by the occult for the world in this video. Videos like this don’t happen often because artists/directors are rarely given the freedom to create without inhibition, and for that I thank Xiu Xiu and everyone at Polyvinyl for letting me go off.”