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Culture Feature
How "Final Fantasy VII: Remake" Redefines What a "Remake" Can Be
Final Fantasy VII: Remake is mindblowingly meta.
05.11.2020
Square Enix
Between the constant revivals of classic franchises and the endless sequels to anything and everything we've ever loved, pop culture of the modern era reeks of soulless cash grabs perfumed in cheap nostalgia.
But amidst an endless sea of crap, Final Fantasy VII: Remake is a different beast entirely. Despite Final Fantasy VII's status as one of the most beloved video games to ever exist, FFVII: Remake isn't content with simply leeching off its title. Rather, this is a rare remake that aims to add metatextual value to the original and, at the same time, justify its own existence. In doing so, FFVII: Remake doesn't just redefine the original FFVII; it redefines what a remake can be.
<h3>The Audacity of Remaking <em>FFVII</em></h3><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI3MTUzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDk3ODY0M30.mSusLte81Jv63ccTei2s2WohpcW0YZQ30A929MD0fr4/img.jpg?width=980" id="9a1da" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="836df511dcd18875c3c64d0a8bd34617" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="ff7 remake">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Square Enix</small></p><p>Growing up in the '90s, <em>Final Fantasy VII</em> was my first real video game obsession. I loved everything about it—the story, the characters, the gameplay, the world. As such, the<em> Remake </em>had massive shoes to fill.<br></p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>I, like many other <em>Final Fantasy </em>fans, had wanted an updated version of the original game for years. New technology dates older video games much faster than any other form of media, so for classic games that came out over a decade ago, a polished remaster can bring them up to snuff on modern consoles. If any game ever deserved this treatment, it was <em>FFVII</em>.</p><p>Except <em>FFVII: Remake </em>wasn't just set to be a polished version with updated visuals. Rather, <em>FFVII: Remake </em>would be a genuine remake from the ground up, featuring an entirely new gameplay system and a fleshed out version of the original's 60+ hour story, which would now play out across three whole games. This was an incredibly exciting prospect, but the pitfalls were all too obvious.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>First and foremost, could <em>FFVII</em>'s story, even considering its epic scale, really be fleshed out across three full games? The first game alone would take place entirely in the city of Midgar, which consumed less than a third of the original game's runtime. Moreover, with <em>FFVII: Remake </em>implementing a more modern Action Role-Playing Game battle system instead of the real-time, turn-based JRPG system that the original popularized, would the game even still <em>feel </em>like <em>FFVII</em>? </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>Square-Enix's slow roll of trailers and eventual demo assuaged many fears leading up to release. The visuals were <a href="https://www.popdust.com/final-fantasy-7-remake-red-xiii-2644990989.html" target="_self">breathtaking</a>, and the gameplay hit an <a href="https://www.popdust.com/final-fantasy-7-remake-demo-2645371772.html" target="_self">incredible balance</a> between fast-paced, action-oriented combat and the frantic menu navigation that made the original so thrilling. After playing the demo, I was no longer just tentatively excited; I was <em>hyped</em>. </p><p>The main game didn't disappoint in the slightest. I spent most of my playtime marveling at how <em>alive</em> Midgar felt as a city and, more specifically, how incredible it was to see so much effort go into fleshing out the world. I would continue to be amazed at how well the classic Materia system, along with its complex character builds, were implemented into the new action-oriented gameplay experience. But most importantly, I was blown away by Square-Enix's handling of the story. </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><h3>The <em>FFVII: Remake</em> Story Dilemma</h3><h4><em>***MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE ORIGINAL FFVII AND FFVII: REMAKE. IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE REMAKE OR ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ORIGINAL GAME'S PLOT, PLEASE TURN BACK***</em></h4><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI3MTUyNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzQwNTAxN30.zRyYVGp8G6hle5hhP-LC8jEJ67f_wG7o_j211fmEAOc/img.jpg?width=980" id="d6570" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8a6aee0313511a1e500ddb6181535af2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="FF7 Remake Aerith">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Square Enix</small></p><p>Before we can talk about how <em>FFVII: Remake </em>retold the story of <em>FFVII</em>, let's take a look at why <em>FFVII </em>is such a hard story to retell in the first place.<br></p><p>When the original <em>Final Final VII </em>came out in 1997, it forever changed the scope of <a href="https://www.pastemagazine.com/games/final-fantasy-vii/how-final-fantasy-7-revolutionized-videogame-marke/" target="_blank">video game marketing</a>. While JRPGs had a niche fanbase outside of Japan, <em>FFVII </em>was in a unique position to carry the genre into a more mainstream market. As the first Playstation-era <em>Final Fantasy </em>game, <em>FFVII </em>featured cinematic cutscenes that could showcase its epic story in a way that previous JRPGs could not. This resulted in <em>FFVII </em>being marketed more like a movie than a traditional video game, sold on the strength of its visuals and narrative rather than its gameplay.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>And while<em> FFVII</em>'s visuals have become dated over the years, its story has held up as one of the most impactful in video game history. In fact, <em>FFVII'</em>s story was so impactful that many people who never played the game still know its biggest plot point: The death of Aerith Gainsborough at the hands of Sephiroth.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>For anyone who played the original game when it first came out (i.e. without seeing spoilers), Aerith's death was both devastating and shocking. Previous <em>Final Fantasy </em>games had featured the deaths of playable characters, but Aerith was more than just a playable character. She was the game's best magic user, the party's dedicated healer, and Cloud's primary love interest. Killing her was entirely unprecedented for a video game.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>Aerith's death came relatively early in the story (at the end of the first of three discs, for anyone who played on the PS1), and its repercussions echo throughout the rest of the game. The characters actively mourn her loss. The cinematic cutscene wherein Cloud releases her body into the water evoked deep emotional responses for many players (and was the first time I ever cried over a video game's storyline). The hole created by Aerith's death even resonates through gameplay. You never get another dedicated healer in your party, so for the rest of the game, you're forced to build other characters up for a role they're ill-equipped for.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="23d71ee3a9d681005343efc9ce1b7332"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wx3duFYCcho?start=523&rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">FF7 Aeris Death Scene</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://youtu.be/Wx3duFYCcho?t=523" target="_blank">youtu.be</a>
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</p><p>In short, Aerith's death was masterful, and as such, it poses a major problem for the <em>Remake</em>: How do you retell a story that everyone already knows?<br></p><p>The simplest answer would be to paint by numbers. By staying doggedly faithful to the original, Square-Enix could safely give the game's original fans exactly what they had always wanted in a modern remake—the old story, beat-by-beat, with modern graphics.</p><p>But at the same time, the <em>Final Fantasy </em>franchise has always pushed the boundaries of epic fantasy, with various games in the series featuring everything from Lovecratian abominations to space travel. In fact, a good chunk of <em>FFVII</em>'s initial impact was directly related to its dismissal of high-fantasy castles and princess archetypes in favor of the futuristic dystopian city of Midgar. </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>The best <em>Final Fantasy </em>games have never played it safe, and <em>FFVII: Remake </em>is nothing if not one of the best <em>Final Fantasy </em>games. Thus, <em>FFVII: Remake </em>completely redefines the very notion of what a "Remake" is.</p><p>Indeed, the vast majority of <em>FFVII: Remake </em>follows the plot of the original. It fleshes out characters (namely your doomed Avalanche crew members, Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge, making their eventual deaths significantly more painful than they ever were before), but by-and-large, the plot points stay the same. You still bomb the mako reactors, you still <a href="https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/04/08/final-fantasy-7-remake-cross-dressing-honey-bee-inn-cloud-playstation-don-corneo/" target="_blank">dress up like a beautiful woman</a> to sneak into Don Corneo's mansion, and you still raid the Shinra HQ before ultimately escaping on a badass motorcycle. </p><p>But, every now and then, you get the sense that rather than just being fleshed out, some things are <em>intentionally </em>moving off the rails. </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>In the original game, Cloud briefly encounters Aerith for the first time during his escape from the burning slums after the first mako reactor bombing. The two share an extremely brief exchange where Aerith asks Cloud what's going on and Cloud tells her that she needs to get out of the area.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="764f0cbe80ba9d6b3d0fe87827748135"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q4_TbajznJM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Cloud meets Aerith for the very first time (Final Fantasy 7 clip)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4_TbajznJM" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>In <em>Remake</em>, however, Cloud encounters Aerith being harassed by an unseen entity. As he approaches her, he's struck by a mental vision of Sephiroth. Aerith snaps him out of it, and the two end up talking for much longer than they did in the original. She gives Cloud a flower, saying, "Lovers used to give these when they were reunited." Then the invisible force returns to harass Aerith again. She grabs Cloud's hand as she tries to bat them off, at which point a slew of black-hooded ghost-like creatures become visible to him, as well. Upon the arrival of Shinra troops, Aerith escapes, and Cloud proceeds with his mission.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a0c3283bae5cb57c1734e3458aee449e"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cv0_zfCnACo?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Final Fantasy 7 REMAKE - Cloud meets Aerith</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv0_zfCnACo" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p>As the story moves forward, the mysterious ghost-like figures, which we later learn are called "Whispers," appear again and again during pivotal moments.<br></p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>At one point, Cloud is barred from joining an upcoming reactor bombing mission that he went on in the original. The Whispers appear, leading to a massive battle wherein Jessie's leg gets injured, resulting in Cloud getting rehired to replace her for the mission. At another point, the mad professor, Hojo, attempts to reveal an important piece of Cloud's backstory that he learns much, much later in the original game. Before Hojo can finish his sentence, the Whispers appear and drag him away. </p><p>Eventually, it becomes apparent that the Whispers show up anytime the game veers from the original plot, forcing things back onto the correct path. Every now and then, though, Cloud and co. manage to subvert the plot's expectations—most notably when they save Wedge's life during the destruction of Sector 7, where he died in the original. Alas, the Whispers return later on to drag Wedge to his death.</p><p>As Red XIII explains, these Whispers are "arbiters of fate...drawn to those who attempt to alter destiny's course and ensure they do not."</p><p>This brings us to <em>FFVII: Remake</em>'s final chapter. In the original game, this would be the point when Cloud and co. rescue Aerith from Shinra HQ and escape Midgar, venturing out into the open world for the next leg of their journey. Knowing that the first chapter of the 3-part remake would end after the Midgar section, this was the logical stopping point.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
<!-- End Ezoic - undersecond12 - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>But, just as Cloud and his friends reach the end of the road out of Midgar, Sephiroth appears. He speaks of defying destiny and slashes a hole in the very fabric of space, demanding that Cloud follow. A massive horde of Whispers flood the portal. Aerith, who has seemed to know more than she should throughout the entire game, warns that by entering, "We'll be changing more than fate itself...We'll be changing ourselves."</p><p>Of course, they enter.</p><p>What proceeds is a massive battle against a giant amalgamation of Whispers called the Whisper Harbinger. They kill it, literally killing destiny. Sephiroth returns, welcoming Cloud to defy destiny alongside him, before Cloud and co. are returned to the world outside the portal. </p><p>The game ends on a note of uncertainty towards the future, alongside one final reveal: Zack Fair, a tremendously important character to both Aerith and Cloud's backstories who died before the events of the original game, is alive.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI3MTUyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5NjQwODEwNH0.Xwpa3xngk5vMmMlbibLkeMdG852blJzcXW9X8K4UhRg/img.jpg?width=980" id="a7af9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9c2bd86c8b06034df9bcbe71c62c5a7a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="ff7 remake Zack">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Square Enix</small></p><p>The end of <em>Final Fantasy VII: Remake </em>is <em>mindblowingly </em>meta.<br></p><p>By physically destroying the "Whispers," which can be viewed as an obvious metaphor for the necessity that a Remake adheres to the original plot, the creators of <em>FFVII: Remake </em>have done more than just open up the story of future installments. They have changed the nature of what a "Remake" can be. </p><p>For most of its runtime, the first installment of <em>FFVII: Remake</em> feels like a remake in the best way possible, inducing a distinct sense of nostalgia through revisiting a story we know and love. But by the end of <em>FFVII: Remake</em>, everything we know has been called into question. In a sense, it seems almost tailor-made to stoke the most far-fetched desires of fans who played the original back in 1997.</p><p>What if you could save Aerith? Is there a way to play as Zack? </p><p>No doubt, <em>FFVII: Remake </em>will go down as one of the most controversial games ever made. It's easy to understand how a purist who waited over a decade to see their favorite game remade shot for shot might feel upset over the realization that this is <em>not </em>what they expected. But we can agree to disagree.</p><h2></h2><p>Even if the story ultimately hits many of the same beats from this point forward, we enter with extreme uncertainty. Our expectations will naturally play against us. Everything is possible, now.</p>
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Music Lists
The Best Folk Albums to Help You Wallow in Sadness
Sometimes you just gotta spend the day deep in your feelings
07.08.2020
The cycle of bad news remains endless, and the world feels relentlessly in free fall.
Dread and anxiety remain our closest acquaintances, and I can't remember the last time I drank for any reason other than "It's Tuesday." Lethargic, isolated, and unable to turn on our AC units without a minor surge of panic, it remains impossible not to wallow in what has become our fraught existence.
"I thought about my life and all its empty meaning," Nadia Reid softly sings over the strum of an electric guitar as her band swells up behind her. "There ain't nothing I can change about me now," Leif Vollebekk morbidly croons on "Apalachee Plain." "No, there ain't nothing I can change about me now."
<p><em>Ahhhh</em>, that sweet splash of melodramatic prose, that gentle strum of a banjo or acoustic guitar: It all culminates in a warm fog that gently soaks us in its bitter sadness. Folk music has a divisive power. It can force us to reminisce about the times when things weren't so unbelievably sh*tty or amplify our collective despair. For those who wish to wallow the day away, here are a few folk albums guaranteed to confine you to your feelings and never let go.</p>
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Not Even Happiness by Julie Byrne
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="eb326d6d9ad89f320de5b2abde6c613b"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WfZHOmDbS1Y?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>New York contemporary folk crooner Julie Byrne mollifies mundane everyday living into something profound. A walk by the ocean or sitting in a garden is transporting when seen through Byrne's eyes. With her disarming blend of folk and new age, <em>Not Even Happiness</em> thrives in its synchronicity. A flute flutters in for a few moments, light horns sit candidly in the background, and the album beckons you in with Byrne's mystical voice, vivid lyricism, and bright guitar work.</p> <p>You can feel the chicory's bristle sting your toes on "Natural Blue" and smell the crispy ocean air on "Sea as It Glides." Byrne makes nomadic isolation sound profound and, right now, painfully appealing. <em>Not Even Happiness</em> is blissful enlightenment that cradles you to sleep as you lie in the shade on a muggy afternoon. </p>New Ways by Leif Vollebekk
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="82250fc9cb562ee125cb749e1b516379"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u3EfeFt1zZw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p><em>New Ways</em> finds Canadian singer-songwriter Leif Vollebekk striving for a life of sustenance. He regularly fights to understand the mechanics of how to lead a happy life and regularly battles the defeatist version of himself that finds it all too exhausting. </p><p>He breathes in gasoline even though he knows he shouldn't ("I'm Not Your Lover") and can't discern whether little happenings are all coincidences or prolific signs from above ("Blood Brother.) Either way, he shrugs it off, "sometimes, you got no choice in the matter." </p><p>While 2017's <em>Twin Solitude</em>'s found Vollebekk deep in mourning, <em>New Ways </em>finds him confused about where to go next. He's still despondent but knows there is probably more he could do about it. "Do you know what I'm thinking? Can you tell me who I am? Do you think I am doomed?" he asks anyone who cares to listen. Draped over an infusion of contemporary folk and 60s jazz, Vollebekk never seems to find his answers. Still, New<em> Ways</em> reflects on that awkward in-between, that pre-epiphany moment that makes for a perfect listen to soothe our unanimous incertitude.</p>Out of My Province by Nadia Reid
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dfb1c574c8e0947ae1e8cfe0e3855473"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/osWgE_Y5Z0M?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>An indie New-Zealand treasure, Nadia Reid's honeyed voice, and compelling mixture of folk and southern soul transform <em>Out of My Province</em> into a magnetic roller coaster of emotions. The ebb and flow of human existence is put on vulnerable display. "Oh, there is nothing like the blues," she says on "Who Is Protecting Me," after trying to connect with her distant family. The constant berating of stress never overwhelms Reid but over time just makes it feel like "the paint is peeling from my heart." </p><p>Her band, comprised of silky electric guitars and soulful horns, gently elevates her, but Reid's raw prowess is so captivating that she rarely needs the cushioning. It's not all doom and gloom though, and Reid's biggest strength is subtly reminding us there is a light at the end of this long tunnel. "Life has given me just what I needed," she says frankly on "Otherside of the Wheel." "Time is cruel, but time is a healer."</p>En Garde by Ethan Gruska
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="da8997207c050bc8e291ce27ccccd677"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_eNumVa7H1s?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Ethan Gruska's amorphous folk music defies genres, space, and time. "Maybe I'll Go Nowhere's" soft kick drum and textured lo-fi fog elevate Gruska's gentle coos into the stratosphere. "On the Outside" teeters the line between indie rock and contemporary folk, and "Haiku4u" fully dabbles in deep electronica and Hip-Hop. </p><p><em>En Garde </em>is an intimate odyssey that seeps into your blood with its slow-burning experimentation. Like Bon Iver, Gruska believes production can serve as a sole instrument and amalgamate into something all its own rather than solely elevate the instruments at its disposal. <em>En Garde </em>is, at times, unexplainable in its ingenuity and serves as a perfect soundtrack for those who wish to get wholly lost.</p>Ma by Devendra Banhart
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="adb33d84aff2fa10b8c301bbec89e9b5"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WB5Gypm4fHo?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Abstruse folk singer Devendra Banhart tapped into a niche cackle of listeners who felt drawn to the Venezuelan artist's soft prophetic whispers and glittery guitar plucks. His earlier work served as obscure How-To guides for easy-living, but on <em>Ma, </em>the crooner's tenth studio album, it's all about survival. "All the death in my house makes it easy to shop online," he says on the playfully apocalyptic "Kantori Ongaku." </p><p>At almost 40-years-old, Banhart has begun to deal with loss, whether it be of family or opportunity. He's getting old and doesn't know if he'll be able to pass on his sage wisdom to any children of his own ("Is This Nice?"). He desperately wants to fall in love and dance but is slightly timorous about confessing his love to the person who needs to hear it. </p><p>Like most Banhart records, <em>Ma</em> thrives the further it roams. He sings in four languages and wanders freely through them with fleeting grumbles. It doesn't matter to Banhart if you keep up or not; just know that whatever you feel or take away from it is justified. It's impossible to live in this world without confusion, and Banhart doesn't necessarily know the answers anymore. "The older I get, the less I fear anyone I see, and yet all the more, I fear humanity," he sings.</p>What's New, Tomboy? by Damien Jurado
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="051971cffb67dc4667cf844de6cc6279"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jLiZ0jCzpdA?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Channeling the end-of-days poetry of Bob Dylan, Damien Jurado's hushed pop arrangements on <em>What's New, Tomboy? </em>tackles life's tragedies with arresting sophistication. "This wasn't part of the plan," he calls out on "Birds Trickled into The Trees," "a major flaw in the design." </p><p>Jurado's lyrics aren't grounded in the least. They often fluctuate between deep meditations on death ("Maria") and casual quips on what he sees when he disassociates ("Alice Hyatt.") It's all presented as digestible, stripped-back pop music and sonically adds to Jurado's narrative that this sh*t is meaningless. "If I said that I had chose this, I then would be a liar," he sings on "Fool Maria." "I am only living sentences that were long before I got here."</p>Related Articles Around the Web
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New Releases
Sevana's New Video for "If You Only Knew" Is a Breath of Fresh Air
Reggae meets a dreamy, modern flair in a new song by multitalented singer Sevana.
07.08.2020
Destinee Condison
Sevana has released a video for her song "If You Only Knew." It's a vivid and entrancing journey, a love song designed for hot summer days and nights.
The video is a collaboration with Puma, and Sevana wears the brand effortlessly, making it work for her. She's thoroughly glamorous in radiant pink eye shadow and bright colors that serve to accent the music and the song's message. "If you only knew," she sings, throwing in a flawless run here and there, "how far I'd go for you." It's about sacrificing everything for love, dedicating oneself to preserving a relationship and feeling overwhelmed by the depth and joy of true romance.
Sevana - If You Only Knew (Official Video) www.youtube.com
Through it all, Sevana's voice is a highlight of the entire project. Effortless, airy and buttery, it floats above dreamy melodies and a reggae backdrop, forming a blend that feels timeless and yet profoundly modern.
Altogether, the song and video seem to be about movement—many shots find Sevana traveling across bridges, over streets and through bodies of water, buoyed by similar momentums of music and love. It's also infectious enough to persuade the listener to get up and move (even if it's within the confines of our still-quarantined apartments). Pops of vibrant color—green-azure waters, bold red houses, wide blue skies—make the video a visually stimulating adventure, a love letter to places as well as a person.
<p>Filmed in Dakar, Senegal and Portland, Jamaica, the video was primarily a collaboration between the artist and Yoram Savion, who directed and edited the film. Sevana served as creative director of the project.</p><p>In tandem with the video's debut, Sevana is also officially announcing the release of her first major label EP. <em><a href="https://smarturl.it/BeSomebodyEP" target="_blank">Be Somebody</a>, </em>which drops July 31st, was produced by Kelsey Gonzalez, the bassist for Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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</p><p>It follows her 2016 self-titled album and a variety of other projects. Though "If You Only Knew" is a lighter, more romantic and transportive tune, she's also ventured into the realm of hard-hitting protest songs, with tracks like "Justice" exposing a unique songwriting ability and political sensibility.<br></p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Sevana - Justice (Official Video)</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb7zerHnkd4" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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</p><p>Music has long been at the center of Sevana's life. "Music has always felt instinctual to me," she said. "When I'm spilling over with feelings I write it, when I'm happy I sing, when I'm frustrated I dance to it. My relationship with music is the only one that has remained reciprocal and at the risk of sounding dramatic, it is my saving grace."<br></p><p>Sevana's journey towards musical success began when she performed as a member of the girl group SLR and won <em>Digicel Rising Stars</em>, Jamaica's own version of <em>American Idol.</em> Since then, she's taken the music world by storm, appearing as a feature on Protoje's 2014 <em>Ancient Future </em>and lending her talents to a variety of festivals around the world. (Appearances have included BRIC's Celebrate Brooklyn concert series and Reggae Sumfest, Jamaica's largest annual music festival. In addition to music, the multitalented artist has also worked as an actress and model, starring in the Jamaican web series <em>Losing Patience </em>and catching the eyes of brands like Puma.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Sevana - Nobody Man | Habitat Studios | 1Xtra Jamaica 2020</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAN8SnHPiQ4" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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</p><h2></h2><p>Born Anna-Share Blake, the Jamaican singer-songwriter's musical moniker is inspired by her hometown, the idyllic seaside Savannah-La-Mer. Inspired by great soulful chanteuses including Anita Baker, Adele, Celine Dion, and Beyoncé, and carrying currents of her island's roots, Sevana seems poised for greatness.</p>
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