Hayden Calnin – “Cut Love” Video (Stereogum Premiere)
Australian folktronic artist Hayden Calnin specializes in lush, spacious, genre-bending excursions. Calnin grew up in the rural woods of Red Hill before moving to bustling Melbourne, and he combines the cosmopolitan sensibilities he’s developed in the city with the slower, down-home quality of his roots. He unleashed Cut Love Pt.1 the first part of a two-part album, just last week. It’s an elegant tussle between electro and ambient sounds and minimal folk tendencies.
Today, we receive the first visual representation of that album, and as expected it is stunning. Shot in Melbourne and Victoria’s Otway National Park, the self-directed clip features thick, luscious greenery and woods in long, sweeping shots that allow you to take in the environment. Amid the natural beauty are two dancers performing an eloquently contemporary dance routine crafted by Lukas McFarlane that melds the music and their surroundings perfectly. Calnin’s sparse, but gorgeous arrangement and elongated vocal flourishes accentuate the movements of MacFarlane (who also stars in the video alongside Calnin’s sister, Daisy) as the camera slowly moves through trees to frame them. It’s a beautifully orchestrated set of visuals for a pretty song. Watch.
Cut Love Pt. 1 is out now. Cut Love Pt. 2 is out in May.
