Boombox Blitz: Youngblood undergo nearly-satanic possession in ‘Better When You’re Close’

Welcome to Boombox Blitz, an artist spotlight series showcasing overlooked singers, songwriters and musicians who are quietly taking over the world.

Have you ever been so love-struck that an infatuation becomes a downright unhealthy obsession? Well, you’re certainly not alone. Alt-pop outfit Youngblood unfurl a stunningly-macabre sequence of events with their new visual for “Better When You’re Close,” a sci-fi possession story about the intertwining of two lovers whose very bodies tear into each other like some ’80s horror flick. “Pick me up and hold me close,” lead vocalist Alexis Young beckons the viewer into a web of camera pieces, grainy and wholly disturbing. The video opens on a snap glimpse of “found-footage” before flickering to an unsettling shot of a Saw-like corridor. The tension lives just on the skin before the music even kicks into overdrive.

A car zooms into view, and seconds later, the 16mm-filmed clip ⎯⎯ directed by Geordie Starr ⎯⎯ plummets into an erratic frenzy, cut together with more subdued shots across a dreary and chilling landscape. After the title card, the video plays out in satisfyingly-fearful fashion, juxtaposing performance-style moments with the far more gruesome progressions. “I tremble when you touch me / I feel like I’m on my knees / I can’t wait ’til you touch me / Your heart beats on my sleeve,” Young sings, as the two beloved suitors’ mortal coils are possessed by some unseen force, which rips through them like a bolt of lightning. It’s as unnerving as it is utterly captivating.

“[This song] is about romantic obsession to the point of possession, where you feel like your entire body and mind have been involuntarily taken over by the mere proximity of another person and you’ve lost your sense of self,” Young details. “It’s about coming to terms with the realities of putting love and lust on a pedestal and just how quickly a person can become consumed by infatuation of the highest degree. Crippling, consuming; and it also has a sweet bass line that you can dance to, because why not.”

“Better When You’re Close” is the first taste of the band’s new EP, Fantasy Love, out this July.

Watch below:

Check out a handful of upcoming summer festival appearances:

July 1 – Duncan, BC – Laketown Rock Festival

July 13 – Victoria, BC – Rock The Shores Festival

July 28 – Golden, BC – Golden Sound Festival

Photo Credit: Mandy Lyn Antoniou

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