When Kent-bred brothers Seth, Josh, and Adam Gauton set out to finally form their own band in 2018, it was an effort born out of childhood wishes, but brought to life with careful expectations. It took almost a year to release their debut single under the newly named lotusbliss, ensuring that their moody aesthetic would not be muddled by a premature entrance. While “Beautiful Monotone” felt polished and confident in its production, it was their follow-up single, “Carpet”, that definitively marked their arrival. And now, with the release of the accompanying visuals, it’s starting to feel like we’re ready to move past the “hello”s and into the “woah”s.
There is a story behind “Carpet”, and it doesn’t involve kidnappings or torture, as the video would have you believe. As documented by When The Horn Blows, it’s a song inspired by an evening where one of the band members contemplated leaving his then girlfriend the same day he bought an engagement ring. Rather than write about the conflicting emotions themselves, they wrote about a version of the events that didn’t happen—the one where they didn’t end up with a happily ever after. It’s vulnerable in a way that the real story never could be. The track drifts in and out of heartbreak with scattered synths, anchored in its mourning by the reverb of the guitar licks. It’s a surprisingly smooth delivery for such a heavy stream of lyrics, striking the right balance between wistful and wishful.
As the video’s protagonist is seen running (presumably away), it is easy to imagine his sprinting as the thoughts of a confused and spurned lover trying to find a safe space again where they may rest. The dark and slow-motioned shots lose their literal meaning, instead offering an inside look at a mind tormented by unexpected words and never-ending moments. It’s a much deeper effort than originally expected from such a young band, and one that surely won’t go unnoticed.
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