Bay Area-via-Sydney singer-songwriter Hazel English is poised to release a double EP, Just Give In / Never Going Home (May 12, forthcoming) via Polyvinyl and Marathon Artists. It is thus fitting that she's recently released two music videos that accompany her introspective jangly dream pop tunes with casually nostalgic visuals.
English has spent most of her music video appearances wandering alone (e.g. in "Control" and "Never Going Home") and reflecting about life, hope, possibilities and personal connections. She changes the narrative in "Fix", now sharing some romantic screen time with an older love interest (played by Derek Perlman). The slightly subdued instrumentals contrast with her directly-expressed desires to lose herself in a blissful embrace:
'Darling just give inGet out of your head againCraving that feelingTake me away againI wanna feel aliveI wanna feel alive'
Lyrics:
"More Like You" is the more compelling and outstanding track. English's characteristically calm vocals are more present and immediate, backed by disarmingly blissful and airy synths and guitars. English appears to be more convincing when expressing ambivalence with regard to her romantic attachments, excelling once again at juxtaposing contemplative and insightful realism with an escapist, breezy and sun-kissed sonic aesthetic (which is echoed by the accompanying DIY video which sees Hazel out and about in the Californian sun with her friends):
'Do you want me to aspire
To be all that you admire?
Let it go
I could be more like you
I could be more like you
I could be more like you
It's so funny how you live your life
Always trying on a new disguise
And you lie to yourself all of the time
You rely on the safety of denial'
