Ernest Greene, the guy behind the much-buzzed-about Washed Out, has dipped into a variety of music genres, producing everything from hip-hop to rock. But it was the series of dance recordings he worked on that eventually led to the '80s low-fi keyboard vibe heard on Washed Out's debut album, Within and Without. Most of the tracks were recorded at his parents' quiet Peach County, Georgia home, and that rural atmosphere influence is front and center in his newest music video, "Amor Fati."
Shot in Iceland, "Amor Fati" offers poetic close-ups melded together to tell one man's journey of backpacking through Europe -- country roads, livestock and taking a bath with a really pretty woman. (When in Rome...) Every still is like a perfectly captured photo, and like an indie film, the airy vocals and wispy synths are emotionally tied to the character's soul-searching adventure. The ending shows the man fading into the fog as if to say, "OK, I had my fun. Time to go get a real 9-5."
Anyone who's spent that one summer trekking through Europe with five bucks to their name, awkward hostel roommates, and disapproving parents will get all kinds of nostalgic with this video. Viewers will relish in this guy's reenactment of the nomadic lifestyle, but they won't have to do any of the dirty work themselves.
+ Watch Washed Out's "Amor Fati" video.