New Music: Hockitay – redstar

The shifting vistas of dioramas and desert scenes that make up the video for redstar matches the dimorphic textures of the song itself.

It’s easy to wonder whether Guatemalan-born, Montreal-based Hockitay came up with the ideas for the track and video simultaneously. Both are slightly out of phase – not surreal, more askew, especially as the title track of Hockitay’s new EP is highly conceptual and often retro, lyrically and sonically.

Utilising indie rock, slowcore, and experimental electronics that are stretched and shifted to be blurred while remaining recognisable, the track reflects on two ideas – what we’re made of, and that we’re made up.

A slight change in words becomes profound as Hockitay ponders in laid-back fashion over what our reality is. How much of our makeup, our public face, is real? And do any of us know what our real selves are, or is everything constructed for the camera, knowingly or unknowingly, a pose to fool ourselves and others?

Oh, and the visually stunning and thought-provoking video? It was directed by Renaud Jacob and shot between Montreal and Utah using practical effects, handmade dioramas, archival imagery, and vintage technology.

The redstar EP is out now via Future Gods and is available to download on Bandcamp. Keep in the loop with all things Hockitay by checking out his TikTok and Instagram feeds.