Velvet Bloom — 7Hundred25
words by Ruby Box
Velvet Bloom have once again made waves with their distinct silky sound. The project’s fresh clip for their new track ‘7Hundred25’ perfectly matches their neo-soul, alternative-pop and jazz-rock sound. Having supported many established Australian acts like Kim Churchill, Josh Cashman, Death By Denim, Dulcie, The Grogans, Zoe Fox And The Rocket Clocks, Great Gable, Ben Wright-Smith, and Teenage Dads, Velvet Bloom have had plenty of live experience prior to Melbourne lockdowns and are only getting better.
Created by Nathaniel Nagorcka Stewart, the music video for ‘7Hundred25’ is a conglomeration of imagery designed to soothe your soul and put you at ease. Tinted with warm tones of pinks, browns and oranges, the clip is an intimate portrait of Velvet Bloom and their hometown scenery of Mornington Peninsula. VHS recordings capture various landscapes, faces, and environments, which are paired with choir-like harmonies and strong electronic strings. The focal points of the music video come together as a love letter to the scenery of the Mornington Peninsula, as well as the chemistry and affability of Velvet Bloom. The audio visual experience lets you drift away to the shore or somewhere equally relaxing.
The song itself encompasses the rawness of longing and the prospect of loss, detailing numerical values attached to a relationship, and how they can intertwine with subjective experiences and develop meaning through shared time together.
Frontwoman and Velvet Bloom founder Maddy Herbert’s soothing vocals have an indescribable effect on the ears of mere mortals. Herbert’s voice has the ability to calm you and deeply move you all in one breath. The honey dipped, stripped back acoustics of ‘7Hundred25’ allow Herbert’s hypnotic voice to shine through and expose listeners to her full power as a vocalist.
The occasional 70s-esque stylised captions of the music video can act as reminders that you are experiencing a song, rather than a series of delightful memories as you let the lyrics meld together amidst the comfort of the song's arrangement. When paired with the track, the music video for ‘7Hundred25’ is a pathway to nostalgia, and an appreciation for the simple joys that our world can offer.
Imagery of sunsets, pre-covid live performance footage and psychedelic animation come together to create a spirited and sunkissed mood, appropriate for intuitive dancing and unwinding in the middle of a summer day or night. ‘7Hundred25’ and its accompanying clip are an encapsulation of all the joy that warmer months can bring, all in time for the approaching summer season.
You can stream 7Hundred25 + more from Velvet Bloom here <3