5 Visuals That Capture the Mastery of Chairlift
2006-2017
Chairlift
As Chairlift completes the tail end of their farewell world tour, we mourn the separation of the futuristic pop duo, yet anticipate both Caroline Polachek and Aaron Pfenning's next moves. They announced their break-up in December of 2016 after their final album Moth. However, they have been building up to this point for some time now, at least for Polachek. She already aligned herself with Beyonce writing "No Angel" on her self-titled project in 2013 and supplying vocals on Blood Orange's Cupid Deluxe that same year. While Polachek's distinctively versatile voice and Pfenning's multi-genre composition style are complementary, they also act as singular defining soundscapes.
"Patrick will be going on to produce records full-time, and Caroline to make music as a solo artist "
- @Chairlifted
There are so many reasons to celebrate Polachek and Pfenning's work from the formlessness of their sound to the commercial yet underground sultry of their lyrical content. I remember first discovering the 'Evident Utensil' music video on MTVU, and later making the connection between that and Kanye West's 'Welcome to Heartbreak' visual. It's never easy losing a group you've grown up with, but during times like this, we can reflect on the exceptional work of the group to ease some of the sorrow. I've narrowed down 5 visuals that properly commemorate and illustrate the inspirational artistry of Polachek and Pfenning:
Amanaemonesia
Amanaemonesia, the premier track from their sophomore album, Something is a reflection on the privilege of America. "Is it amnesia?" throbs as the chorus breaks. The lyrics alone reminded me of my own limited privilege in America, but the beauty of this record lies in the visual component. On the cusp of nostalgia as a widespread trend, Chairlift positioned themselves at the intersection pop and nostalgia.
Caroline wears a muted bodysuit adorning the lyrics with descriptive art-pop choreography. And just in case you needed some help identifying the retro VHS source of inspiration, the captions are there to guide you. The bassline will also take you to an ethereal mental zone if you allow it.
Party (Cover) ft. Kool A.D of Das Racist
This is honestly one of the best pop covers of an r&b hit and in the most original fashion. This especially shows off Caroline's vocal ability and fluidity specifically. This one is not everyone, but I definitely appreciate the "Niggas in Paris" intro. It was released in 2012, so this falls into the timeline of her writing "No Angel" for Beyoncé on her Beyoncé album released in 2013.
Relationally, she was also most recently featured on Solange's Instagram story furling in a soul train line at a Met Gala afterparty (which I geeked out over). Back to the video. Kool A.D adds a displaced yet humble textured verse that fits perfectly in the cross-genre cover. The unpredictability and limitlessness of their artistry are one of many reasons I'll miss the two as a duo without a doubt.
Bruises
Arguably, but numerically their most popular record, after Apple used it for the iPod Nano commercial, "Bruises" is a lament of sacrifice for love in its most obvious interpretation, but Polachek told Chris Castig she doesn't believe the vocalist should always be the narrator. In respect of that point of view, both she and Pfenning (in the bridge) speak from the perspective of bruises of love's abuse. Love is such a saturated subject in pop music, and their approach to the negative effects of it created a beautiful soundscape launching their career forward.
Evident Utensil
Following the success of "Bruises", Chairlift proved themselves as innovators with a visual decomposing the natural perception of reality while Polachek sulks in extensive and unnoticed efforts towards a lover or thing. Most specifically, it speaks to writer's block and how its blockages stifle humanity for writers. The most evident utensil is inevident in its application.
Polymorphing
In their final visual, "Polymorphing" is very intimate and even reminiscent of "Amanaemonesia" with reappearing subtitles. As a farewell, the duo keeps it intimate, Polachek said in a statement reported by Pitchfork "It’s the least conceptual video we’ve ever made; there’s no datamoshing or dance moves or foreign language translation—just a toast to our fans, to our friends, to the city, and to constant change! And yes, there is actually toast in the video.”
The visual reminds me of the whimsically confident essence of the duo that attracted me to them in the first place. Even the often hidden drummer Patrick Wimberly makes a few cameos. As they officially part ways, you can find the remaining dates of their farewell tour here. If you couldn't grab tickets in time, like me, I've already began visualizing a reunion in the years to come.