Watch The Stunning, Metaphysical Video For Zach Cooper’s “Us”
“A place where different spiritual concepts—ritual, sacrifice, transfiguration, stillness, and ephemera—intersect.”
On March 18, classically trained composer Zach Cooper will release his debut LP The Sentence, an amalgam of solo compositions, recordings with the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble, and old demos from high school all woven together. Before then, you really have to take a peek at the stunningly eerie video for "Us," premiering on The FADER today.
"Us," Cooper explained to The FADER over email, was "inspired by the concept and desire to burn karma, shed metaphysical skin, and realize oneself as spirit, not flesh and bone." The spiritual successor to his 2014 video for Steve Gunn and Mike Cooper's "Pony Blues," the video's director Champ Ensminger added that "'Us' is a journey of the body, struggling with the weight of the physical world, jarringly passing into a new state, and accepting the new state with a newfound grace.”
Below, Zach Cooper reflects on the his debut record and experimental new video. The Sentence is out March 18 on Styles Upon Styles (preorder it here)
What inspired the making of "Us"?
This video is inspired by the concept and desire to burn karma, shed metaphysical skin and realize oneself as spirit, not flesh and bone. It was made as the result of manifesting success amongst my peers. That said, I am blessed to have had the help and support of the Jacob Burns Film Center and my great friends and collaborators, Sean Weiner, Champ Ensminger, Lindsey Jones and the rest of the film crew for their amazing talents, intentions and time well spent. To me, this video is the result of years of education, friendship and film, to all of which I am grateful.
Do you have a vision for the next video? The next album?
Ideas for videos and records are always flowing and changing. Next album will be reinterpretations/reharmonizations of various kinds of sacred music. Probably a record of solo guitar music in there as well. Got a few surprises too ;)
What was your favorite part of composing "Us"?
Composing this piece, and all of my new record, The Sentence, has been a great exercise in digging through and sampling my own portfolio. In doing so I have found common musical threads throughout my life as a musician (age 15-29); things that I always thought sounded and felt beautiful. This process has been very rewarding. At times comical, but always nostalgic and inspiring. The search is my favorite part of composing. The finished song is like a photo of the place I was searching for, or a place I wasn't expecting to reach.
Tour Dates
03/17/16 - Trans-Pecos - Brooklyn, NY - The Sentence Ensemble w/ Noveller
03/25/16 - The Venture Compound - St. Petersburg, FL - w/ Infinite Third
04/01/16 - 108 Sutton Ave. Gallery - Asheville, NC - w/ Space People