Watch Japes' Animated Video For New Single 'Doom'

Guest opener for Nabihah Iqbal's recent Te Whanganui-a-Tara headline appearance, Japes is the project of musician / producer / DJ / broadcaster Mia Kelly. Three years following 2021's JUNK EP, Kelly reemerges with the skittering loops, burbling electronics, gentle strum and contemplative vocal mantras of 'Doom', the artist's debut single via local independent flag fliers Sunreturn (whose output has been impeccable this year). Brain-dripping looping animated visuals created by Otis Rayner blend cartoony playfulness with textural abstraction, lending 'Doom' near-tangible synaesthetic qualities and Liquid TV aura. Co-produced by Bevan Smith (Introverted Dancefloor, Glass Vaults), immerse your eyes and ears then head along to the release event at Newtown Community Centre later this month — presented by Shortcrust, with support from Silva Spiral...

“Doom is really about the feeling that nothing matters. The realisation that we are just tiny cogs in a terrible machine, it's a common feeling to come to in your early 20’s. You find out the world is a darker place than you could have ever imagined, having had the naivety of childhood stripped away and being faced with the pressure of having to have direction in your life.

The first demo (that would become Doom) came to be while Aotearoa was in the second lockdown in 2021, which was a really fair enough time to be having an existential crisis. It was particularly turbulent for me and found a lot of peace in writing music that was more dark and distorted. I’ve always been inspired by science fiction, the possibilities of the other and the wildly different ways our world could be structured, and I think a bit of this leaked into the song.

I wanted the visuals to be a little bit silly. The song isn't meant to be taken completely seriously, but still deals with the themes of existentialism. People often describe difficult feelings (specifically depression) as “the black dog” and I find it a good way to think about things, so I wanted to have that in there as well. It’s all hand-drawn loop animations that took him hours and hours to complete". — Japes

Japes - Doom Single Release
with Silva Spiral
Saturday 30th March - Newtown Community Centre, Wellington (doors 6.30pm)
Tickets available HERE via UTR

'Doom' is out today on major streaming services via Sunreturn.