Co-founder of experimental rock band Yeasayer, Anand Wilder has released his sophomore solo LP, Psychic Lessons. The new LP sees Wilder delving deeper into psychedelic pop and living out his zaniest of dreams. One of the standout songs on the album, “Selkie Bride” recently got its own silly music video. “Selkie Bride” is about the mythical creature that sheds their seal skin to become human. Stories about selkies often involve a human stealing the selkie’s skin so they are stuck as a human and forced into marriage. Eventually, the selkie will steal their skin back and return to the sea to enjoy their freedom. According to Wilder, the song was specifically based on the realist film, The Secret of Roan Inish, which is about a little girl looking to uncover the secrets of her mysterious town. 

Wilder’s music video portrays an ‘80s dating show inspired take on the classic tale. The video is colorful and features the goofy special effects of the ‘80s. The video tells the story of three game show contestants, played by Jessie Jenkins, Madeleine Jennings (Me At Night, Anna Worm) and comedian Sabeen Sadiq, that participate in deadly challenges. Wilder stars as the villainous game show host who is eventually defeated by the final contestant who brings back her deceased contestants and escapes with them. The video was directed by Clemens Den Exter, who shared, “The song is steeped in folklore and rich imagery, and I wanted to embrace that, but from a different angle: something playful, unexpected and slightly surreal. I wanted to create a music video that felt like it could have lived on one of my dad’s old VHS tapes, a hidden dating show gone wrong.”

Psychic Lessons aims to sound like it came straight from the ‘80s, whilst also including some of the more popular genres today, such as chillwave. It also includes elements of country and reggae, thus offering fans a very unique listening experience. Psychic Lessons is out now and can be found on all streaming platforms. 

Photo Credit: Marv Watson