Montreal has developed a reputation for having a rather vital and intriguing independent, electronic music scene as the city is the home of artists such as Grimes, BRAIDS, Majical Cloudz, Jef Barbara and others. Comprised of childhood friends Nigel Ward and Julian Flavin and art student Dexter Garcia, Seoul will likely add to a list of artists hailing from Montreal that have taken over the blogosphere over the last couple of years. 

“The Line,” the latest single from the trio’s forthcoming debut full-length effort, I Become A Shade is an icily foreboding and hypnotic track comprised of angular synth stabs, eerily swirling and undulating electronics, skittering percussion and hot flashes of cymbals paired with plaintive vocals that sonically and thematically bears a resemblance to Beacon and I Love You It’s Cool-era Bear in Heaven, as the song deals with the difficulty of connecting emotionally and physically with others, as well as ourselves, and the difficulties of moving past a profound loss or a profound disappointment. The song evokes the lingering ghosts, neuroses and heartaches of human life, haunting us at our most vulnerable and weakest – when we’re alone and at our most desperate. 

The video, which was filmed in Montreal is a stunning visual display employing the use extreme contrasts between light and dark, monochrome and vivid color in a way that evokes a feverish and uncomfortable dream, while depicting a natural transition between melancholy to acceptance and moving forward. At the same time, visually speaking, the video also subtly explores an extremely modern plight – the difficulty to connect with others emotionally and physically, as well as the projection of the self upon others. And it does so through the use of a variety of images projected on screens that remind the viewer of a past that’s both inescapable and moving further away.