Cassowary Is in a Dating Apps Wasteland for "Belt Notch!" Music Video
His debut album will release this April.
Los Angeles-based 25-year-old musician Miles Shannon, aka Cassowary, is just months away from the release of his debut, self-titled solo album. He returns here with his new “Belt Notch!” music video inspired by the barren desert of dating apps and re-entering the dating scene after a longterm relationship. The music video’s treatment was created by Shannon and directed by Frankie Garces, shot on locale surrounded by endless sand and underneath the scorching sun. Cassowary plays the keys and saxophone, backed by minimalist drums while visuals of his female protagonist dragging a body bag to be buried in a shallow grave intercuts.
For all of the stress in searching for love in all the wrong places through Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and more, “Belt Notch!” is an incredibly laid back groove that sees Cassowary play multiple instruments while showcasing his RnB vocal chops. Cassowary promises a wide-spanning range of influences from the Los Angeles Low End Theory-era beat scene with jazz fusion and Stones Throw-esque funk homages. The previously released “She Funked Me” and “Price Went Up” singles both displayed poised, curated themes of reflecting on relationships past and the self-searching that follows.
“I wrote the song while reentering the dating scene after a relationship,” says Cassowary said through a press release. “‘Belt Notch’ is about wanting more from a one night stand, and looking for love in the wrong places, how two people can hook up and walk away feeling differently. The notion that you’re marked as a trophy is a common one in communities dominated by heartless dating apps and surface level interactions.I felt that the Wild West backdrop and femme fatale lead of the video would represent this “quick draw” “high noon” situations that I was going through at the time. My villain is seen with many hand made notches on her belt, takes the belt notch saying to another level be seemingly making a notch for each kill. She is loosely inspired by “Kissing Kate” from Holes by Louis Sachar.”
Previously, Cassowary has been linked to childhood friend Earl Sweatshirt, with the seminal “EARL” music video being filmed partly at his house. He also played piano on Earl’s critically-acclaimed I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside. Cassowary will release April 24 via Fat Possum. In more music news, Tyler, The Creator recently announced the new location of Amoeba Records.
