“Yes Nice are an indie act from Edmonton and Vancouver whose music is a mixture of lush harmony, folkie guitars, and slight electronic flourishes; a beautifully-composed sonic stew captured on computer but sounding timeless. Scott McKellar — the live bassist/vocalist who serves as the band’s producer/arranger on recordings— calls such sound “creating landscapes.” – https://www.last.fm/music/
The music video for Horses feels like a playful jungle fever dream with a slightly ominus twist. It opens with all the band members dressed in brightly colored, eclectic fabrics as they cautiously creep through a dense, lush BC forest. There’s an air of mystery from the beginning, almost like a whimsical chase or game of hide and seek is about to unfold. And then, it does. One band member raises her hand, mimicking a gun with her pointer finger and thumb, and fires. A tree beside the targeted bandmate explodes, and suddenly we’re launched into a dramatic, foot-chase-style hunt through the lush green foliage.
At first glance, the visuals don’t directly connect to the lyrics, except maybe in their shared obsession with color. But that disconnect also gives the video an art-house quality. It feels more like a standalone short film or performance piece than a traditional music video, and that’s part of what makes it intriguing. Despite the detached narrative, the band makes sure to drop in shots of themselves singing and dancing in their vibrant “hunting” outfits, a nice reminder that yes, this is still a music video.
What really stands out is the contrast between the music’s upbeat, jungle-infused indie rock vibe and the apocalyptic themes in the lyrics. There’s a chant-like, bouncy energy to the track, even as it dives into the grim subject of the end of the world. It’s essentially a quirky, toe-tapping ode to the apocalypse, complete with a whistling breakdown and not-so-subtle nods to the Four Horsemen of biblical lore. They are the harbingers of the end times. The more you sit with it, the more it starts to feel downright biblical. End-of-days biblical. But what’s wild is how the song wraps all that heavy, theological darkness in a wink and a smirk.
There’s a playful, cheeky edge to it, and the music video runs with that tension full throttle. At the height of the chaos, they’re suddenly leaping off cliffs into the water, grinning through soaked clothes like it’s all just a game.
Was I just tricked into listening to Christian rock? Maybe. But if I have, I’m not even mad about it. Horses walks the line between absurd and profound, and whether it’s poking fun at or paying homage to religious imagery, it does it with flamboyance. It’s a wild, color-splashed, finger-gun-filled fever dream. And honestly, I’m here for it.
https://yesnice.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-flame
Written by Alana Black | Evolution Media
Contact: ablack23@my.bcit.ca