• News

• All

May 23, 2023 By Caleb Campbell

Since 2017, Brooklyn-based artist Ian Jacobs has been a prolific creative force under the name Monograms, creating a caustic take on the sounds of ‘80s new wave. Fans last got a taste of his ‘Nuke Wave’ style in 2021 with his fourth full-length record, Floors and Ceilings, and later this year he is set to return with another new record, A Fine Commitment, out June 16th via PaperCup Music. Last month he shared the record’s lead single, “Hi Low,” and today he’s back with a mesmerizing new video for the track, premiering with Under the Radar.

Stylistically, “Hi Low” occupies a mid-point between Madchester dance punk and ‘90s industrial, propelled forward by corrosive synth textures, pulsing basslines, and angular guitar work. The track’s nuclear-fried edge strikes a careful balance between eras, all while putting a fresh spin on Jacobs’ influences. It is chugging and propulsive, but also sports a sharp, swaggering hook, lending it an irresistibly catchy undertone. Meanwhile, Jacobs’ lyrics find him reflecting on the highs and lows of his own mental health.

As he explains, “I put on a pretty clean outer shell most of the time, cause of the way I’m wired but those that know me best know that it’s a roller coaster at times. I don’t think it’s uncommon for people during that creative process but for me there’s definitely another mental health and semi-destructive element at work. Years ago I used to fight this rocky feeling a bit more, so the story of the song really is built so that the verses are me trying to gain my footing, trying to find some answers to stop the storm waves from crashing, fighting it… and the chorus is just dumb blind acceptance. ‘This is me. This is probably a lot of people. Plus, up and down is probably better than not moving at all.”

With the accompanying video, Jacobs sought to pull from the peak of the MTV era, complete with dance sequences, props, and irrepressible energy. He says, “I wanted to do something that felt really organic, told the story of the song but was also really stylized and choreographed, capturing moments that could never be recaptured exactly the same way, with a lot of interaction and playfulness”. Along with Jacobs, the video also features the work of co-director and filmmaker, Stephen Michael Simon and choreographer Alyson Greenfield.

Check out the song and video below. A Fine Comitment is out everywhere on June 16th via PaperCup Music.