It’s wild how many people never leave the bubble of their phones. Every time I leave my house, I see people walking around with their faces in a screen, oblivious to the world around them. On “P vs P,” STAHV blends post-punk, gothic twang, and psych rock to send us the message that we need to shed our technological distractions and start smelling flowers instead. “Scatter the bones / Shatter the phones / Leave them at home,” STAHV says, and I can’t be the only one who feels that deep unease about how much of my life and mind is controlled by algorithms and data. The track is off their Simple Mercies EP that comes out tomorrow, February 3rd — get it here. Right now, check out the video for “P vs. P” as well as a full stream of the EP below — probably on your phone, and maybe ask what you give of yourself in return for the constant distraction from yourself.
‘P vs. P’ is a commentary on the last few years and the state of the world regarding connection. It’s been a lonely, isolated time, made more difficult by our reliance on mobile devices. The song is an encouragement to return to our more primal selves.
Solomon Arye Rosenschein, STAHV
Adrienne Pierce and I went into the gardens near where we live seeking some of the wild nature to which the lyrics in “P vs. P” refer. I loved referencing Julian Cope’s Fried album and those lovely early Echo and the Bunnymen sleeves. We found colorful foliage, fragile rock formations, and dew-coated dying roses. All of it represents the feeling at the core of Simple Mercies visually. Adrienne came up with the concept of me conversing with myself, a duality that speaks to the tension within the song. I’m singing about how disconnected we are and needing to disengage from technology. Yet, I’m making a video I intend to share on my phone. Nothing is pure. Let’s rock, I say. Or at least play with rocks.
