Modern Color Beat the Heat With a Little “Shade”

For a band called Modern Color, the post-hardcore band’s debut video sure lacks vibrance. That’s not a slight on the music, just a comment on the blurred, minimally saturated presentation of the video itself. Maybe it’s a commentary of their worldly perception; the lyrics certainly suggest as much with their references to opaque panes and rust. Or perhaps they’re trying to capture the ’90s nostalgia that comes from imitating VHS tapes. Or they could just want people to see nature in the same color spectrum as dogs. Then again, I’m not sure what else I should’ve expected from a song called “Shade.”

Regardless, Modern Color might have stumbled upon something special with their sound. The combination of subdued singing and all out screams meshes well with the overall sense of claustrophobia portrayed within the track. It’s not particularly heavy, but it’s not beautiful either. The track exists in a limbo, meandering between the two but still maintaining an experimental sense of self that manages to be entertaining.

I’m certainly looking forward to hearing more from the California-based band. Their upcoming album Chromesthesia will be out later this summer. In the meantime, check out the video for “Shade” below.