Video of the week: When Saints go Machine (Denmark) – Chainsaw (single)

I’d overlooked this one, which is a few weeks old now but it will do no harm to run it anyway.

I do love an atmospheric video and this is one, although possibly for the wrong reasons.

When Saints go Machine (is that wordplay on ‘When the saints go marching in’?)is a Copenhagen-based trio known for their ‘digital pop experiments.’

They use some quite vigorous imagery to promote this latest release of theirs, a double single of ‘Chainsaw’/’Trying’, of which we’ll focus on ‘Chainsaw’ because that’s the one with the video.

There’s no explanation of what the song is about but we are told that their intention here is to “activate sound waves of people, inspired by the process of hands touching instruments, to amplify experiences of something real and human.”

I’m not quite sure what that means to be honest but I’m quite taken with both the song and the video all the same.

The synth effects have a chunky, jerky distinct 1980s feel to them; a sound that is coming back into fashion judging from the number of songs around these days that feature it heavily and the use of the hi-hat as a single percussive contribution in parts is innovative.

The singer, whom I’m assuming is Nikolaj Manuel Vonsild, and who has a resemblance of Francis Rossi about him, doesn’t really have the voice he looks like he should have, which is that of someone like Family’s Roger Chapman, gnarled and grizzly. In fact it’s a rather sweet high tenor that might feature in a church choir, even verging on falsetto at times.

The video I can’t get a handle on. With a title like ‘Chainsaw’ I was half expecting Leatherface to jump out suddenly, wielding that particularly nasty implement around, looking for his dinner.

And the PR uses the line “a chainsaw into the body, transforming into something almost religious,” which is, well, a tad disturbing, isn’t it?

Is it set in a room? At the back of a container? You know, the first image that came to mind was of one of those people smuggling lorry containers, which the gang bosses have emptied but left someone behind.

Ultimately it appears to be no more than the back of a van that someone is sleeping rough in, and then even a bus stop, as it shape-shifts constantly.

It’s all a bit of puzzle but songs and their accompanying videos don’t have to be easy all the time. And it’s uncategorisable genre-wise, with elements of techno, electronica, and pop all featuring in the mix.

In other words it’s something of a challenge and at NMC we like that.

The release of ‘Chainsaw / Trying’ will be followed by a nationwide tour of Denmark later this autumn, commencing 30^th October. See their website for details.

Find then on:

Website: https://www.whensaintsgomachine.com/