Drawing inspiration from the most atmospheric and shadowy sonic domains of Shoegaze /Gothic Rock, Post-Punk, and Coldwave, Hong Kong-based four-piece unit The Crush, follow the single “Lurch”, with a simple yet dramatic Official Video by Edison Juai, for “444 Hz,” the final track of the band’s debut album “Winter Veil,” released on Christmas Day.
“444 Hz” is an uplifting tender lullaby hidden inside a grey ethereal realm of gentle yet obsessive bittersweet guitar arpeggios, loose tremoring bass pulses, and slow splattering and tinny martial drum beats. Signs of warm comfort shine through the misty auras as icy, brittle twinkling melodies and molten glows, whilst beautifully soft and fragile vocals soothe and protect a vulnerable soul under a supernatural canopy of droning swarms.
The cinematic visuals directed by Edison Juai perfectly capture the essence of the soundtrack with an imaginative set design and a mysterious, surreal vision. The wind blows and shadows are cast by dimly lit lamps to create a hallucinogenic perception around a young girl whose dramatic poses evoke sympathy, as we can tell she is alone and frightened. The ending reveals that she is really in a moving boxcar, giving the viewer a surprised ‘mind-trip’ feeling.
A little side note about 444 Hz, aka Frequency of Angels or Key of David. It is one of two healing frequencies used with meditation to balance the body, mind, and soul, the other is 888Hz. 440Hz, set as the standardized frequency in 1834 Stuttgart, Germany, was taken up by the American Music Industry in 1926. Some believe 444 Hz is more harmonious with the human body and nature itself, whereas 440 Hz is disruptive and causes dissonance. Why not take a listen and see how it makes you feel?
The Crush’s Official Album Release Show at Hong Kong‘s Blindcat @blindcat_music on January 13, 2024.
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photo by @huihongnin
