In the latest video from Seattle-based pop masters Telekinesis, for the song "Empathetic People," frontman Michael Benjamin Lerner ambles into an abandoned record-pressing factory and gets it running again. It's a curious glimpse into one of the last gasps of industry keeping music tethered to the physical world.
While "Empathetic People," from the latest Telekinesis album Dormarion, isn't necessarily about factories or vinyl-pressing, the song's relentlessly propulsive beat and sense of urgency is a fitting soundtrack to director Patrick Stanton's imagery. "The record pressing machines felt archaic and rhythmic," he tells us via email. "With industrial manufacturing dwindling in this country, I liked the thought of Michael being a bit of a hero by dusting off a defunct factory and putting some life back into it. [The song] has such a great driving rhythm and a mysteriously dark feel that I knew it would be perfect for this visual concept."
Dormarion, produced by Spoon drummer Jim Eno, is out now on Merge records.
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