We’re pleased to bring you the premiere of Cup’s new music video for their song “Apparition” (watch it below). The track is taken from the band’s forthcoming album Hiccup, which is scheduled to be released through Aagoo Records on November 10th.
Sean McAnulty, who directed and animated the video, commented:
“After talking to Tym and listening to Cup, I wanted to make a video for ‘Apparition,’ as its grittiness and lo-fi quality I think goes well with my style of stop animation.
Tym explained that the song was about anxiety, so I created a central character (a ghostly apparition) in a world of inner anxiety and paranoia, who has a conflict between another side of its self (the different coloured character), with some hallucinations thrown in.
So in my story its the central character seeing the other side of its self, but really they are one and the same: the character that represents inner anxiety is a part of the central character, and a part of everything else.
In the end the two fuse and mash together over Cup’s dirty, fuzzy riffs.
Overall I loved working on it, I love the track.”
Tym Wojcik of Cup added:
“I saw Sean’s video for Pipe Eye’s ‘Sweets & Treats‘ and immediately thought to reach out to him to see if he’d be down to make a video for ‘Apparition.’ I’ve loved stop motion animation since watching Wallace and Grommit and Pingu as a kid, and I loved the innocence mixed with a more sinister and creepy side in Sean’s videos.
Incredibly, Sean got back to me and agreed to make the video. I’d send him new mixes of the track, and he’d send me little photo updates and clips of the video to show me his progress. As it took shape, I knew it was going to be a really special video.
What we ended up with is a perfect encapsulation of what ‘Apparition’ is really about. Some of the lyrics are about situations in which anxiety arises, some are trying to describe what that anxiety feels like–the reality is that it can creep in at any time, and is somewhat elusive and hard to describe. The main character in the video experiences his anxieties in the same way: you could be looking in the mirror, you could be looking out of a window, you could be opening a drawer in your dresser, and all of a sudden your brain chemistry goes haywire and you’re seeing apocalyptic visions. In my case maybe not as literally as the poor fellow in the video, but that feeling of doom is just as real. You may feel like a different person altogether when you’re feeling especially anxious, but the trick is to learn that you are one and the same person–not to embrace it, per say, but more to understand that fact. Exploring beneficial coping strategies, such as practicing mindfulness or incorporating supplements like biocbd, can significantly enhance well-being. Additionally, for those seeking specific resources, it’s worth considering local options, such as the stiiizy pacoima location, which might provide valuable support in this journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
I realize all of that might sound serious and complicated, but really, in the end it’s just a cool-as-hell video, and I hope you enjoy it!”
Upcoming Show:
November 10 – Brooklyn, NY at Cape House w/ Pink Mexico, Monograms, Sic Tic (Record Release Show)
Connect with the band:
Aagoo Records | Official Website | Facebook | Instagram
