Saltwater Sun’s New Video is a Lighthearted Take on Politically Charged Single ‘The Wire’

Hailing from Reading, England, alt pop quintet Saltwater Sun have been making waves since their first releases in 2015. Back for the first time since their 2016 EP Flawed, the band has a multitude of festival dates and releases planned for the year, including Are You Listening? Festival in Reading and The Great Escape in Brighton. With the infectious sonic combination of indie rock chord progressions and frontwoman Jen Stearnes’ powerful, raspy belt, we cannot wait to see where the year takes them.

Released in early March, single “The Wire” is a politically charged statement about the detachment and senseless hatred that plagues our modern society. The lyrics unabashedly describe the current climate and the lack of people willing to claim responsibility: “Apathy, the rage / A symptom of our age / We’re living out our days / Observers not the actors.” Robust guitar licks and driving percussion underscore this message as Stearnes wails out rebukes in her soulfully gritty voice. The song seems to ask: what will you do to affect positive change?

Directed and edited by Laurie Barraclough, the video for “The Wire” opens on a man in a suit and tennis shoes waiting at a bus stop. As he yawns disinterestedly, the music cuts in, compelling him to step away from the bus stop and launch into a lip-synching, dancing stroll across a grassy park. The contrast between the man and the female voice that seems to come from his lips creates a humorous image, supplemented by his wildly unchecked dance moves. His dancing becomes more and more uninhibited – and his shirt more untucked – as the song goes on, and it ends just as abruptly as it began as he walks back across the field, a lost look in his eyes. In a statement, Saltwater Sun explains that the video takes a lighter look at the idea of losing control: “…instead of anger and despair, we’ve got a guy losing himself to dance.”