New Video for Johnossi


Johnossi. Photo: PR

Swedish Dou Johnossi with a new Video for ‘Hands’

When asked to identify countries with police brutality issues, UK listeners may be forgiven for not immediately thinking of Sweden. Yet Swedish indie duo Johnossi seek to tackle this current affair from the perspective of both the victim and the perpetrator in their new single ‘Hands’.

The heavily theatrical video for ‘Hands’ creates a backdrop as bizarre and otherworldly as the juxtaposition between the lyrical content and musical tone. The latter is light hearted, soothing and relatively inoffensive to all generations, whilst the opening lyric intrudes with the ultimatum “spread your legs and shut your mouth”. Er, yes officer?

The video and track continue to seesaw between safe and explicit, officer and victim in a conversational interchange before dropping away into a darker interlude. Balaclava-clad synchronised swimmers resurface as the content swings upwards again, pleading for unity in a pop track that cleverly laces catchy melodies with political satire.

Singer John Engelbert ‘s voice is husky with just the right amount of strain to convey the emotional content of the track whilst keeping the light hearted pop nature of the song in tact. A clever song and high budget video which are well crafted, deeper and perhaps more relevant than the majority of music currently floating across our airwaves.
By Terri Witherden