The five-piece LA band Rare Times describes their sound as “late night cruising music,” and I think you can interpret that both ways. Yeah, this languid low-fi is obviously perf for channeling l’esprit d’Ryan Gosling while cruising in your 1973 Chevy Malibu. But don’t tell me the suave synths and jazz lounge tenor aren’t filling you with wet, hot desire. Make no mistake: this is the kind of music that makes you wanna head downtown and prowl around the bramble patch waiting for a new buddy.
Synthesizing late night ennui and retro sleaze is exactly what Rare Times is good for. Their charmingly cheesy vibes shone through in their first album, Missionary, which was recorded in an LA warehouse district brimming with porn studios and sweatshops (makes sense). Their Mist EP drops today, and they’re kicking it off with this video for the second track “Cloudy.” It’s directed by Mike Harris and Sus Boy—Groundislava‘s brother, who also does visuals for Skrillex, Ryan Hemsworth and Wedidit—and is flush with VHS fuzz and pretty boys crooning in front of fog machines. Oh, and I just realized that Rare Times’ guitarist—that plaintive dude kneeling in front of grave—was the Swedish English major I had a giant boner for in college. Hiiii! ::waves::
Videos by VICE
Rare Times’ Mist EP lands today on Feel So Real. Get it right here.
Michelle Lhooq cruises all day, errday – @MichelleLHOOQ
