Formed in 2022 by two kindred spirits, stalwarts of the Polish alternative scene, the audiovisual artist/producer Bartosz Hervy (HRV, HEAL, ex-Blindead, ex-Agonised By Love), and vocalist and songwriter Rafał Tomaszczuk (Hidden By Ivy, ex-Agonised By Love), the sad synthpop act Agonised Too has shared the single/video for “The Same,” the first preview from the second album, “Eye Cry,” scheduled for late this fall.
The song evokes a sense of heavy restlessness and empty, disorienting dread, prompted by metronomic, tinny ticking drum patterns, and scratchy, buzzing bass burbles, surrounded by a glassy, glowing and immersive canopy of swirling wistful synths and hypnotic quivering strains, while moody, layered vocals shift from dreamy lust to anxious longing, after losing it all.
The accompanied visuals, recorded on the 6th of August by Bartosz Hervy, slow down the speed of urban life in Berlin to sync with the introspection of the soundtrack. Everything you might expect to see in a modern metropolis, from subways, park benches, and graffiti-strewn infrastructures, sets the dystopic backdrop for a wide range of city dwellers. The lagging nature of the film helps to bring the individuality of each person, animal, and tag (Free Gaza) into focus until a sad sunset when the ‘normal’ motion returns.
Keep up with Agonised Too:
photo by @domelator / manipulation by @hervy.art
