VIDEO REVIEW: Von Sell “I Insist”

Von Sell

Von Sell’s official video for the track “I Insist” can best be described as strangely beautiful—and yes, that is absolutely a compliment.

The video follows a man who appears to be living in an abandoned building as he attempts to write, trying to please his companion, a stone-faced mannequin. As a seasoned explorer of abandoned buildings, so much of me envies this man’s lifestyle while being simultaneously terrified by it. And that’s a feeling the entire video radiates: It gives you chills, but in a good way.

The man takes breaks from writing to dance around his abandoned building home in a simple choreography that aligns perfectly with the synthy sounds of Von Sell. Each breakdown shows the man dancing it out, seemingly waiting for inspiration to strike. And it does, only once he breaks apart his mannequin friend and throws him piece by piece out the window. With that, the song really picks up its ethereal pace and both video and song become more trippy.

After discarding the mannequin, the man really gets into the zone and is able to finally relax—and can you actually blame him? I don’t think many people would be able to write well with an unblinking face always lurking in the shadows, appearing mysteriously in doorways and just…watching.

Check out Von Sell’s video for “I Insist” above, and keep an eye out for an upcoming tour!

TRACK OF THE WEEK: Von Sell, “I Insist”

von sell 2

Brooklyn electropop wonderboy, Von Sell, is back after a year-long Hiatus, with a brand new sparkling summer jam. “I Insist” is a slow-building, heart-wrenching, perfectly produced follow up to last year’s “Ivan“, and evokes, both lyrically and sonically, heartbreak and our attendant and thus perennial fascination with chaos. We’re late to the party posting about this track, as most in the blogosphere have already given their two cents on it. Therefore we needn’t say much aside from the fact that we agree with the general consensus on Von Sell: He is the artist to watch for 2016.

Catch him on 6/7 at The Rockwood Music Hall in NYC as a featured artist for Communion Presents. Details can be found here.