PLAYING DETROIT: The Dropout Releases Self-Love Anthem in Time for V-Day

For anyone feeling pangs of loneliness on Valentine’s Day, Detroit electro-pop saxophonist The Dropout (otherwise known as Andrew Ficker) has gifted us with a timely video release for his new single “Old Parts, New Beginning.” An upbeat collage of synths, saxophone, and electronic beats, Ficker describes the song as “a short story of a robot finding happiness in the face of lost love.” The video perfectly encapsulates this narrative, starring a broken-hearted TV with a body who finds happiness through solitude, streaking, and a shit-ton of color bombs.

An equally colorful troupe of mask-clad dancers also makes cameos throughout the video, whirling through clouds of dust and color atop construction machines. The constant bursts of light and color pair well with Ficker’s luminous sax and serve as a reminder that there’s always beauty in darkness. As the song fades out, the video cuts to a shot of the robot sitting alone at the bar, smiling with hearts in his eyes, suggesting that loving yourself is enough.