WATCH: Tilian Unveils Video For “Is Anarchy A Good Hobby?”
WATCH: Tilian Unveils Video For “Is Anarchy A Good Hobby?”
No one expected a song like this.
Words By: Bre Offenberger
Singer-songwriter Tilian — most well-known as the clean vocalist of post-hardcore outfit Dance Gavin Dance — has released a video for his latest solo single, “Is Anarchy A Good Hobby?” Along with the release, he also announced his album Factory Reset will drop on April 23 via Rise Records.
The track opens with a smooth guitar line fluttering over Tilian’s equally-as-airy vocals ask rhetorical question after rhetorical question. A forceful kick drum accents his tough interrogation, as he begins to wonder if the reason his loved one doesn’t play by the rules anymore has to do with a traumatic experience or an awakening of another nature. Harsh guitars zip back and forth as Tilian asks to be transformed, and the song becomes almost cryptic from then on out. A bass beats endlessly into a wall as Tilian’s now manipulated voice delivers spoken word in the place of his loved one, who says they’re fine and not sorry for anything they’ve ever done. The track fades out with that same guitar, showing no signs of his friend returning to normalcy.
In the video, Tilian — with a huge scratch across his nose — is found in a dimly lit room, talking to the camera like it’s his friend in need. Across the room, two pairs of dancers each walk in circles, staring down their respective partners before moving together and acting out Tilian’s story. They swarm around Tilian before the cryptic music unfolds, and they all separate, offering painfully sharp movements that look involuntary. By the time Tilian concludes, each dancer is soaked head to toe with sweat. They sit down, most likely unaware of what they just did, as Tilian looks on.
Of his forthcoming album, Tilian shares: “I was searching for meaning in isolation and found it in creating this album. I wanted to make the album that I want to hear. ‘What would be my favorite band?’ as opposed to, ‘What is everyone’s favorite band?’”
“Is Anarchy A Good Hobby?” is the third single from Factory Reset, following “Anthem” and “Dose.” 2018’s The Skeptic, Tilian‘s last album, reached the top spot on Billboard‘s Alternative New Artist chart and has collected over 40 million streams worldwide. Tilian also recently collaborated with Marigolds+Monsters and Travis Barker on “Falling out of Rhythm.” Whether you like Tilian‘s heavier stuff or lean more toward his alternative solo project, you can’t deny everything he releases is sheer gold, so get ready for soon-to-be classic album that’ll drop in a few week’s time.
