Sulfate – Bottle It In, 13th Floor’s new Song of the Day

Sulfate have unleashed their noisy new tune Bottle It In, a six-and-a-half-minute epic and smashing album opener for their newest body of work Godzone. 

Check out this new music video from Sulfate directed by Frances Carter. Here is the blurb with all the details.

Auckland noise trio Sulfate have unleashed their six-and-a-half-minute epic for Godzone album opener ‘Bottle It In’. The video was directed by the incredible Frances Carter, with filming taking place over three very late evenings in early January.

The video tells the story of a nuclear family being thrown into domestic chaos by a relentlessly maniacal force, all the while being reminded to “bottle it in”. Keep an eye out for cameos from Tāmaki-based tastemakers Matthew Crawley, Rebecca Lees and Lucy Suttor.

Within the lyrics of ‘Bottle It In’ we hear frustration over the pace of social change. The chordal movement never rushes — rather embracing the hypnotism of the krautrock drum beat.

Director and editor Frances Carter, on the song and video, says “I got really attached to this track during the August lockdown. When I was cooped up at home and trying to pretend everything was fine. Every time ‘Bottle It In’ came on the radio I’d crank it up and have this cathartic experience. It has such a tense, ominous energy that builds up and explodes into something completely unhinged at the end. It reminded me of one of my favourite disturbed anthems, Gaskrankinstation by Headless Chickens. I wanted the video to have the same mix of darkness and comedy.

My original concept felt a bit ambitious. Body doubles? A kid? Set entirely at night in multiple locations? — but the band was on board. It all came together over three late nights in January and everyone threw themselves into their characters. I had such a good time watching the band play up the Jekyll and Hyde energy. Special mentions to the body doubles / “backtors” who amazingly agreed to spend their Friday and Saturday nights facing away from a camera. And The Kid, Huia, in her debut role being transformed by the ultimate shreddiness of this excellent song. Hoping everyone does a bit of cathartic headbanging amid these wild times.”

Sulfate began as the solo project of Peter Ruddell, known for his work with the noise-rock group Wax Chattels. The band is now firmly a three-piece, with David Harris’ metronomic drumming proving integral to the sound of the group, and Hariet Ellis adding grinding, distorted bass guitar to the mix. The band released their sophomore album, Godzone, in September 2021, via Flying Nun Records.

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