Photo by Olivia Locher
Starchild & The New Romantic is the nom de plume of Bryndon Cook, a young Brooklynite who dropped his debut EP under the moniker last year while also collaborating with the likes of Solange and Dev Hynes. His debut LP, Language, is due for release in early 2018 via Ghostly International, and Cook has given us an idea of what to expect with lead single, “Hangin On”.
Lush, dreamy, and strikingly tactile, “Hangin On” comes with a video produced and directed by Cook. The evocative clip showcases Cook’s fetching dance moves against the summer of 1964 and the struggles for equality that took a pivotal turn during that time.
“‘Hangin On’ takes us into a dream scape set against the backdrop of Freedom Summer 1964,” Cook says in a press release. “A year ripe with political and social triumph yet mired with loss. We follow a team of young SNCC activists as they float through past passions and pain, present purgatories and the after life.”
“Illusions to MLK’s letter at Birmingham teamed with references to Goodman, Chaney & Schwerner help bridge a historic connection to the themes of love lost found central in this simple pop song from the new album, Language,” he continues. “Much like the lyrics harkening to someone’s ‘only sunshine [having] gone away,’ many of our fallen heroes may have experienced a loss of love on a personal level too. This video is an homage to that, and a tribute to their spirits.”
Watch the full video below.