A Higher Place

Greyshadow

Synthwave, Dream-Pop, 80s, Premiere 20200605

From the house valleys of the capital of Austria emerged a new and fresh Indie project, that could be partner in mind with e.g. Good Wilson. Influenced by likes of Noel Gallagher and The Beatles, three singles ranging from Psychedelic to Alternative and Ambient have been released already, and now the fourth one has arrived.

The basically beautiful name Greyshadow might be a little bit confusing. Because instead of being grey, the sound is colorful. And it is no shadow or haze that vanishes, but present and leg shaking. It might be a vague assumption, but one association of this recording “A Higher Place” is sitting on top of one of the Viennese buildings and relaxing.

In the video, two scenarios are combined: a cleaning worker enjoying the music and dancing to it, while working like the “Lonely Boy”. And the band performing on a stage, that looks like at a kind of school prom. The door opens, and in a low-angle shot, the viewer follows the worker while he has his headphones on.

The sound catches lovers of the 80s immediately. Roxette and Billy Joel were the godparents, La Luz, Softengine and locals like Grizzley & The Kids and The Helmut Bergers followed the paths of synthesizer sounds. The dancer moves from empty nightly floors to a lounge room. The color correction is soft and dreamlike as the music.

Match cuts combine the worker with the band, that performs in fitting costumes. “My feelings crumble to extremes”, Gregor Wessely, mastermind of Greyshadow asserts. The instruments of the band on stage disappear, followed by the protagonists themselves.

As the great escape of the daily grind, the song itself vanishes, the worker is alone on the stage and then backstage, singing loudly as a drunken guest enters. Realizing he’s not alone, the worker stops and earns applause. A final scene that reminds of The D in “Learn To Fly”. “A Higher Place” is a colorful and joy-spreading new yet nostalgic work from the middle of Europe.