Directed by Matthew Slotkin & Ellis Ludwig-Leone Edited by Matthew Slotkin
Written by Ellis Ludwig-Leone & Allen Tate Produced by Allen Tate Mixed by Lars Stalfors Mastered by Pete Lyman Recorded at Better Company Records
This song was fueled by the manic energy that comes just after a breakup, when everything feels ultraviolet and surreal. I wanted the music to be always charging forward– you have to keep moving or you’ll drown.
The song is about the disorientation of that time, how your whole world feels suddenly fake and unpleasant. I’ve also felt a related sense of distress around the approach of AI in the world of art and music. So I thought it might be cool to use a tool that makes me uncomfortable to create a music video that captures that same feeling of discomfort. It felt like a way of engaging with the issue, rather than ignoring it and just having this abstract blanket of fear around it.
We took a press photo of me— the first one ever taken, when I was 21— and then transformed it into 37 different ‘Ellises,’ based on stylistic prompts. We situated them in the environments described in the song, and taught them to sing along to the lyrics. Then we blew them up in cartoonish explosions.
While we were making it, the AI felt less like an ‘author’ and more like a tool, which was reassuring. (And still a pretty wonky tool, to be honest.) I still feel anxious about where it’s all headed– that in the rush around AI we try to remember why we make art in the first place, which is that it’s nice to communicate with other people. But also: it’s funny as hell to see a portrait of me as Taylor Swift, or Popeye, or a Picasso painting, and then destroy it. My hope is that the concept and the juxtaposition, which came from human authors, are what makes it feel substantive, or at least more than a party trick.
After a break up, you try on a bunch of personalities, living in this uncanny valley where nothing feels quite right. The strange animations we made felt like the right way to say something about that time. It was also a fun way to render a bunch of flooded environments, and to touch on some of the global stresses we have all been feeling recently.
- Ellis
Lyrics:
Burned my life down to the ground Emptied out the Hungry Ghost Wrote a sad song to get it out If it helped I didn’t notice
Got my space but I need a couch I’m adrift or I’m an island When I think too much about it All the lights go ultraviolet
Really coming down today Gimme somewhere dry to spend the night I can sleep in anything I don’t need to shut my eyes too tight
I’m a weird environment these days Map me out but then winds change Every hour takes a week I’m a weird environment these days Another night out in this place Take me home or out to sea Don’t leave
In the morning when we wake up And there’s water to the bedposts And you’re washing off your makeup And I’m washed out like the Gulf Coast
I’m a weird environment these days Map me out but then winds change Every hour takes a week I’m a weird environment these days Another night out in this place Take me home or out to sea Don’t leave Don’t leave
2024 Better Company RecordsSan Fermin - My Love Is A Loneliness (Official Visualizer)San Fermin2023-12-07 | My Love is a Loneliness, out December 7th : orcd.co/myloveisaloneliness The new album Arms, out Feb 16th, pre-order now : orcd.co/san-fermin-arms
Video by Katrina Peterson Staring Claire Wellin
Lyrics :
My love is a loneliness It sits just next to greed It comes on quick and wasteful It uses up and leaves My love is an emptiness To hold but never have It’s permanently fleeting It runs right through your hands If everyone leaves and everyone dies It’s just a question of when If everyone cheats and everyone lies Rather it me than them My love is a loneliness It lives right next to grief A door you only exit A room you only leave
My love is a selfishness My love is a thief It comes in quick and quiet It takes more than it needs If everyone leaves and everyone dies It’s just a question of when If everyone cheats and everyone lies Rather it me than them If the worst should happen And it will, and will again I will still be standing With loneliness, my friend To start again If the worst should happen And it will, and will again I will still be standing With loneliness, my friend My love is a loneliness It knows the way of things There are no surprises If everyone leaves and everyone dies It’s just a question of when If everyone cheats and everyone lies Rather it me than them If the worst should happen And it will, and will again I will still be standing
Director & Editor: Katrina Peterson Director of Photography: Sam Achtermann Colorist: Kate Leone VFX & additional editing by Sam Achtermann
Featuring: Claire Wellin Ellis Ludwig-Leone Allen Tate Margaux Bouchegnies Griffin Brown Stephen Chen John Brandon Aki Ishiguro
Written by Ellis Ludwig-Leone & Allen Tate Produced by Allen Tate Mixed by Lars Stalfors Mastered by Pete Lyman Recorded at Better Company Records
Lyrics :
It’s a crisis everyday And you’re the one to blame The atmosphere in here Is peeling off the paint
I water all the plants I keep the place clean The space that’s in my bed Haunts me when I sleep
You linger in the air But you’re no oxygen You probably wouldn’t care I’m still here breathing in If you didn’t want me I didn’t want you to You don’t get my love If you’re just passing through I’ll find my way Out of this place soon Cuz if you didn’t want me I didn’t want you to
I made myself your home I made myself your kin You barely cracked the door You never wanted in
Your eyes were on the prowl My roots were in the ground You didn’t wanna grow You were too busy climbing out
If you didn’t want me I didn’t want you to You don’t get my love If you’re just passing through
I’ll find my way Out of this place soon If you didn’t want me I didn’t want you to I didn’t want you to
Finally got you out This new home’s like new skin The windows get good light And the plants are thriving
If you didn’t want me I didn’t want you to You don’t get my love If you’re just passing through I’ll find my way Out of this place soon If you didn’t want me I didn’t want you to I didn’t want you to I didn’t want you to I didn’t want you to I didn’t want you to
2023 Better Company RecordsSan Fermin - Arms (official lyric video) watch the full video here : https://youtu.be/X_3q9w5RXTcSan Fermin2023-09-15 | Our new song "Arms" is out now! Watch the full clip here youtu.be/X_3q9w5RXTc #music #lyric #folkrock #lovesongSan Fermin - Arms (Official Lyric Video)San Fermin2023-09-14 | Arms out now, listen here : orcd.co/sanfermin-arms-single
Written by Ellis Ludwig-Leone & Allen Tate Produced by Allen Tate Mixed by Lars Stalfors Mastered by Pete Lyman
Video by Katrina Peterson Featuring Allen Tate & Claire Wellin
Lyrics : If I was your neighbor I’d sit by your steps each day And bring you the paper Just to hear you remember my name
If I served you coffee Put my heart in each cup I’d make That’d be me, the caffeine in your blood Little more with each sip you take
Oh I’m falling for you so madly As soon as I leave, I just want to come back And I know this is going to end badly Cuz it feels like you are the one thing that I have And who am I to hold you when you have arms for the whole world?
Who am I to hold you when you have arms for the world? If you sent me a message It would read with the warmth of your touch I’d hang on each word of each line Pulling life out of zeroes and ones
If we went to dinner It would fill me for more than a night We’d stay til they closed up Wiped the tables and turned out the lights
Oh I’ve fallen for you so madly As soon as I leave, I just want to come back And I know this is going to end badly Cuz it feels like you are the one thing that I have And who am I to hold you when you have arms for the whole world? Who am I to hold you when you have arms for the world?
If I was still your lover I’d whisper to you every night That I’d never do all of the things that I did If you shivered I’d pull you in tight
Oh I’d fallen for you so madly As soon as you left, I just wanted you back I knew this was going to end badly Cuz it feels like you were the one thing that I had But who was I to hold you when you had arms for the whole world? Who was I to hold you when you had arms for the world? Who was I? Who was I?
2023 @bettercompanyrecords
#indiemusic #brooklyn #sanfermin #folkrockprobably don’t come to us for good life advice #nopromises #sanfermin https://youtu.be/Uagz0Xi-sMASan Fermin2023-08-09 | ...Watch the whole Saints video here : https://youtu.be/n8ny8y2WvJQ #saints #sanfermin #musicSan Fermin2023-08-01 | ...Invite us to your wedding! #weddingseason #bride #summersoundtrack : https://youtu.be/eERWM_7 XISan Fermin2023-07-25 | ...Jackrabbit by San Fermin. Watch the official music video here https://youtu.be/Q_XZmcfq5F8San Fermin2023-07-21 | Jackrabbit is a song about there being two wolves inside of everybody but this was actually just a very wolf-like dog. Watch the official clip here youtu.be/Q_XZmcfq5F8San Fermin - Your Ghost (Official Audio)San Fermin2022-09-11 | Stream/buy "Your Ghost": orcd.co/yourghost
When you come around My friends all fall for you I see ‘em want what they can’t have I feel the same way too Even just to hold you is like Sunlight in the gloom I don’t know why I’m tired of loving you
Once you get to know me It won’t take much time I can do impressions But there’s always a line I know you’d never leave me To love somebody new I don’t know why I’m tired of loving you
It’s a storm I didn’t forecast On an evening on the beach It’s the quicksand at the party And I can’t move my feet I wish you’d try to use me Do it quick and make it soon Don’t know why I’m tired of loving you
Every night I wonder Why I can’t be the one Among the sea of loving eyes And all the hearts you’ve won Just because I’m empty Doesn’t mean that I have room Don’t know why I’m tired of loving you Tell me why I’m tired of loving you Don’t know why I’m tired of loving you
San Fermin & Wye Oak - My First Life (Official Music Video)San Fermin & Thao - Dream Yourself Awake (Official Lyric Video)San Fermin2021-06-15 | Listen to "Dream Yourself Awake" by San Fermin & Thao: orcd.co/dreamyourselfawake
San Fermin, Sorcha Richardson & Lisel - Basement Days (Official Audio)San Fermin, Sorcha Richardson & Lisel - Basement Days Live (In This House)San Fermin2021-04-01 | Stream/buy "Basement Days": orcd.co/basementdays
San Fermin, Sorcha Richardson & Lisel - Basement Days Live (In This House)San Fermin & Nico Muhly & Attacca Quartet - In This House (Official Audio)San Fermin2020-11-17 | Listen to "In This House" by San Fermin & Nico Muhly & Attacca Quartet: orcd.co/inthishouse
Directed by Ellis Ludwig-Leone and Ben Phillippo Ben Phillippo - Director of photography Sam Lusted - Assistant camera Tiffany Topol - Choreography Tanya Tauthong-Kass - Wardrobe Rajah Tavares - Makeup Cleo Handler - Assistant director
#SanFermin #TheCormorant #SonyMasterworksSan Fermin - Little Star (Official Video)San Fermin2020-02-27 | Official Video by San Fermin, ‘Little Star’ from ’The Cormorant’ - http://sanfermin.lnk.to/thecormorant
Directed by Ellis Ludwig-Leone Produced by Ron Jaramillo Director of Photography: Scott Maguire Photography Assistants: Ágúst G. Atlason and Ásgeir Þrastarson Editor: Liz Maney Outfit and makeup by: Kristbjörg Lára Gunnarsdóttir Rider: Kristbjörg Lára Gunnarsdóttir
Special thanks to Gústi Productions, Halldór Smárason, and the town of Ísafjörður
Music video by San Fermin, performing ’Little Star’ (The Cormorant) ℗ 2019 Sony Music Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.San Fermin - Saints (Official Video)San Fermin2019-10-04 | Get San Fermin's Saints, from the new LP The Cormorant I Here: SanFermin.lnk.to/TheCormorantIAY
Music video by San Fermin, The Hunger Sony MasterworksNo Promises - Official San Fermin DocumentarySan Fermin2019-05-24 | San Fermin- Live At The Fillmore is out now!
More of a vinyl fan? Order your copy at our webstore. Limited amount available! http://bit.ly/SFLiveVinylSan Fermin - No Promises (Official Trailer)San Fermin2019-02-28 | The official trailer for the forthcoming San Fermin tour documentary, "No Promises," available on April 13, 2019.SanFerminVEVO Live StreamSan Fermin2017-10-14 | ...Asleep On The TrainSan Fermin2017-09-07 | Buy it here: http://smarturl.it/AsleepOnTheTrainBelong (Official Lyric Video)San Fermin2017-03-09 | Buy our new album Belong via Downtown/Interscope here: iTunes: http://smarturl.it/BelongSanFermin Google Play: http://smarturl.it/Belong.gp Amazon mp3: http://smarturl.it/Belong.amz
Artwork by Stephen Halker Animation by Brian DulaneyNo Promises (Official Lyric Video)San Fermin2017-02-10 | Buy our new album Belong via Downtown/Interscope here: iTunes: http://smarturl.it/BelongSanFermin Google Play: http://smarturl.it/Belong.gp Amazon mp3: http://smarturl.it/Belong.amz
Artwork by Stephen Halker Animation by Peter ReeveBride (Official Audio)San Fermin2017-01-12 | Buy our new album Belong via Downtown/Interscope here: iTunes: http://smarturl.it/BelongSanFermin Google Play: http://smarturl.it/Belong.gp Amazon mp3: http://smarturl.it/Belong.amz
Artwork by Stephen Halker Animation by Peter ReeveOpen (Official Audio)San Fermin2017-01-05 | Buy our new album Belong via Downtown/Interscope here: iTunes: http://smarturl.it/BelongSanFermin Google Play: http://smarturl.it/Belong.gp Amazon mp3: http://smarturl.it/Belong.amz
Director/ Editor/ Camera Op: Liann Kaye DP/ Camera Op: John Sears Engineer/Mixer: David Groener Jr.San Fermin - Emily (Live)San Fermin2015-04-07 | Jackrabbit out 4/21 via Downtown Records: http://smarturl.it/Jackrabbit
Special Thanks to the Natural History Museum of Los AngelesRenaissance! (Live From Advent Lutheran Church NYC)San Fermin2013-12-11 | San Fermin "Renaissance!" Buy their debut album here: http://smarturl.it/SanFerminAlbum Filmed and Recorded Live at Advent Lutheran Church in Manhattan, NY.
Director: Philippe Grenade Producer: Jarret Egan Engineers: Tyler McDiarmid and Geoff Countryman
Vocals: Allen Tate Rae Cassidy Eliza Bagg
Piano: Ellis Ludwig-Leone
Guitar: Tyler McDiarmid
Drums: Mike Hanf
Sax: Stephen Chen
℗ 2013 Downtown Records http://www.sanferminband.com facebook.com/sanferminbandSan Fermin - Daedalus (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)San Fermin2013-11-07 | San Fermin "Daedalus" Buy the debut album (out now in the US and 11/11 in the UK/EU and Australia) here: http://smarturl.it/SanFerminAlbum Directors: Dan Huiting and Daniel Cummings Producer: Eric Pierson and Daniel Cummings Cinematographer: Dan Huiting Editor: Kevin RussellSan Fermin - Sonsick (Live at Advent Lutheran Church NYC)San Fermin2013-11-05 | ...San Fermin - Oh Darling (Live at Advent Lutheran Church NYC)San Fermin2013-09-16 | San Fermin "Oh Darling" Buy their debut album (out 9/17 in the US and 11/11 in the UK/EU) here: http://smarturl.it/SanFerminAlbum Filmed and Recorded Live at Advent Lutheran Church in Manhattan, NY.
Director: Philippe Grenade Producer: Jarret Egan Engineers: Tyler McDiarmid and Geoff Countryman