LA-based indie rock/pop trio Night Talks share their bouncy, bright track and ominous video “Roll On” out everywhere now. “Roll On” takes an energetic, dynamic look at isolation to find slices of hope and amusement.
Behind an irresistible rhythm and glittering guitar riffs, “Roll On” captures the collective monotony and idleness that ripped through the world throughout 2020. The subject matter contrasted by the bubbling beat finds slivers of optimism and eagerness that linger and leave a lasting impression. Reflecting on writing this song during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inevitable aching comparison that came with it, frontwoman Soraya Sebghati says, “It was a really tough time to be an independent musician with no real infrastructure, especially when looking at other, more successful acts, who were still able to release albums and play on late-night television.”
The band powered through the fear and uncertainty that made productivity and excitement difficult to bring this track to life. Sebghati continues, “The only thing we could do was work on writing songs and other small projects, and that’s exactly what this song came out of. We wanted to capture the feeling of what it literally feels like to be stuck inside your apartment, unable to do much of anything.”
The track’s accompanying Twilight Zone-esque video, directed by Julianne Fox, sees Sebghati trapped in a vintage, slightly unsettling house where mystery creeps in. Instead of making a video that reflects the dullness of isolation, the female-led team created a vibrant, eye-catching video. Fox says, “We wanted to craft a vintage, liminal environment for Soraya’s character to run around in, and we had a lot of fun playing with the mysteriously ominous elements of the setting.” Jacob Butler (guitar, synth, vocals) adds, “Our goal was to cram as much color and energy as possible into the smallest, dustiest space we could find.” Inspired by one of Butler’s favorite movies, Evil Dead II, the video playfully messes with Sebghati. Butler acknowledges the absence of the full band throughout the visual and leans into the confusion the video may cause. “‘Why is there a portrait of us on the wall though?” “Whose house is this?” “Is this really happening?’ He continues, “I feel when you only have people for three minutes, you might as well surprise them a bit. Blast ‘em with color and guitar and let them go on with their day asking themselves, ‘What just happened?'”
