Tag: Video Review: GUM Gemini

New Video: Tame Impala’s Jay Watson Releases Trippy Synth-based Psych Pop Paired with 80s-Inspired Visuals

Best known as a touring member of renowned indie psych pop act Tame Impala, Jay Watson has received attention with his solo recording project GUM, a psych pop project which bears some sonic resemblance to his primary gig, as well as Painted Palms and others. Watson’s latest effort as GUM Flash In The Pan was released earlier this year, and as you’ll hear from the album’s latest single “Gemini,” Watson pairs a slick and trippy production consisting of swirling electronics, stuttering drum programming, shimmering synths, wobbling low end with Watson’s ethereal vocals and an infectious dance floor-friendly hook — and the single will continue to cement Watson’s reputation for crafting slick and trippy synth-based psych pop.

Directed by Sam Kristofski, the recently released music video for “Gemini” is as Krisofski explains in press notes “roughly styled around old children’s fantasy shows, like The Neverending Story. I love the idea of people blaming their behavior on their star sign too, so I think that was the whole section around someone crying, and in deep thought then cutting to the symbol. Also Jay fighting his star sign was based around that whole Gemini double personality thing, in combat with your other half, I just did the 80’s Karate Kid thing as it mixed in with the theme and tone of the clip.

We shot the whole thing in LA on left over 35mm and 16mm film stock from CSI Las Vegas, which was a risk as the film was so old.” And as a result, the video manages to look as though it were shot in the 1980s, complete with some occult-like imagery.