Help Me

Independent rock twosome LOFTPEOPLE’s video for new single ‘Help Me’ is an energetic demonstration of the personalities and talents of singer Victoria Frederika Slusar and multi-instrumentalist Joris Van Daele. The video itself lacks a consistent theme or narrative however, functioning as no more than an accompaniment for the upstart bands’ music rather than a method to develop a deeper story or meaning to the song.

The video is set in three locales, wherein Victoria sings powerfully along to the lyrics of the song with the verve and coolness of any great rock frontwoman. We switch from a psychedelic graffiti-covered wall, the inside of a recording studio, and a black and white forest as the video progresses, each allowing spontaneous dance moves and charismatic sing-alongs from Victoria.

The video for Help Me succeeds in allowing each member of LOFTPEOPLE to get across their distinct personalities as performers – Victoria Frederika Slusar as a whirlwind leading woman with the heart of a rockstar, Joris Van Daele as the icy-cool lead guitarist who looks like he was born to wear shades. The band’s vibe comes across in the video from their performances, and establishes an engaging and attractive energy for fans who will be able to relate the music to the people performing it.

But what is lacking is a more substantive bonding theme or story that acts as a throughline for the 4-minute short film. Whilst ultimately getting the music across is the key goal of any music video, what really makes them succeed is finding a way to compliment and expand on the song’s theme or meaning visually, either through scene-staging, spectacle or by bringing to life the story or message of a song on the screen. Help Me lacks any of these. The settings bare no relation to one another and don’t seem to match up with the song’s content. The monochrome woodland scenes would be much more at home for a band far dourer than LOFTPEOPLE, and feel awkward when switching with the vibrant graffiti wall. There is little sense of momentum or direction in how the band’s performances in the video align in a determinate sense – it is ultimately a collection of moments stitches together to sync with the track.

All of which, is absolutely fine – especially considering the band’s independent, do it yourself background which means producing any music video is an accomplishment. The production quality of the video is impressive as well, delivering clear and crisp imagery that platforms the band and allows them to throw themselves fully into the performance. However, it feels like a more developed storyboarding of the ideas underlying the video itself would mean a much more memorable final product. LOFTPEOPLE’s music deserves as such, as it is clear the band is anything but forgettable.