Video: Lawrence Rothman, ‘Oz Vs. Eden’

Kevin Bronson on October 29th, 2015

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Audio-visual eccentric Lawrence Rothman debuted last year with “Montauk Fling,” which appeared on last summer’s “Kitsuné America 3” from the French label and led a lot of followers to his compellingly weird live shows. He has now signed to Downtown Records, with a full-length on the way next year that features Angel Olsen, Kim Gordon and Ariel Pink. Earlier this month, Rothman released the somber (and accurate in a sobering way) ballad “California Paranoia,” which featured Olsen. Today the L.A.-based Midwesterner is “ringing on hell’s doorbell,” as he sings in the new song “Oz Vs. Eden.” The song premiered today with a horror-tastic video directed by Floria Sigismondi, which is about three exorcisms shy of being comfortable to watch. Almost as strange as its characters is the minor dust-up surrounding the presence of Charli XCX’s voice. (The press release came with instructions not to use the usual collaborative connector “featuring.”) Those background vocals are indeed Charlotte Aitchison, but as she explained in missives to Stereogum, they were intended to be uncredited, as she was just lending a hand to producer Justin Raisen. We got a chuckle out of the part about her connection to the song being “confusing for my artistic direction.”

||| Watch: The video for “Oz Vs. Eden”