“Casey” by Jon Wiilde Captures That Post-Existential Crisis Liminal State Where All Seems Lost But Hope Remains

JonWiilde1_cropped — John Wiide, photo courtesy the artist

Jon Wiilde’s calm demeanor on “Casey” is even more obvious in the music video. The echoing synth rhythm casts a hypnotic, dream like sheen over the languid pace of ethereal guitar and minimal percussion to evoke a deep dive into a psychedelic realm of downtempo, melancholic melodies. What Wiilde sings from what sounds like a post-existential crisis place of spiritual weariness in search of an everyday moment of joy to pull him out of the doldrums. As colorful and entrancing as the song, the video is the sort of thing you’d expect out of Gregg Araki revisiting his filmmaking roots or Darren Aronofsky make a film that doesn’t plunge you to the depths of despair—that beautiful use of darkness, shadow and color that makes their work so striking. That mixture of elements is present in Wiilde’s songwriting and informs the remarkable video for “Casey.” Below are both the audio and the video followed by links at which you can follow further Wiilde’s imaginative creative output.