Italian DJ/producer, Francesco “Phra” Barbaglia, better known as Crookers, released a new video for his track “I Just Can’t” from his new album Sixteen Chapel. The album, released in March, is Crookers’ first full-length LP since producer Bot left the group.
The video shows a violent robbery gone wrong from multiple perspectives: that of a cop, a criminal, and a doctor performing surgery on the wounded officer. The story starts when a police cruiser pulls up to an apartment building, happening to stop by as an armed robbery is taking place. The thief escapes the gangsters he stole from through the back alley, but is stopped by the cop, who has his gun drawn. However the thief’s female accomplice comes to the scene and shoots the cop. From this point we see the cop rushed into the hospital, and a surgeon unsuccessfully tries to save the dying officer. The twist is that all three characters are the same person, confusing the audience’s sympathies for the victims of the bloody battle.
The muddling of perspectives in the video echo the wild, anti-moralistic themes prevalent in the artist’s music. The characters all start off seemingly similar, each having a beautiful woman in their beds, and strapping up for a future battle. The first sign that they are different is when they put on their clothes, which signify their different roles in society. This high value production video is the first the artist has put out this year, as he has been harkening back to his old style of Italian dance music.
As for the song itself, the Jeremih vocals exude a European nightclub feel, especially over the steady backbeat that permeates throughout the track. His voice echoes and repeats along with the beat, alternating with synthesizers that build up the energy until the drop.
Watch the video below, assuming you’re looking for sex, violence, and a catchy dance beat.