Dive into the indie, experimental jazz/rock goodness of “CONTRARIAN” by SABLE. With the math-y, prog guitar stylings of Chon, a bounty of Neo-Soul chord choices, and a vibrant and authentic vocal performance, this song will leave you feeling like you just discovered a new genre of music. Plus, it comes equipped with an equally distinctive music video, chock full of weird, off-kilter visuals and pleasantly confounding plotlines. That being said, it easily matches the energy of the song.
Musically, we’re gifted with a lot of sonic information. The intro appears with an explosion of synth and percussion. The vocals come in, doused in spacey effects and mimicked by the keys. We’re shuffled along quite feverishly by the rhythm, which emphasizes very specific, unusual divisions of the beat but creates such a solid and engaging platform for the vocals you don’t even notice how complex it is. A second vocalist performs an octave of the melody, adding a new timbre. Quick-fire guitar riffs define this song–so it’s no wonder there are a few different arpeggio-heavy, technique-driven motifs peppered in. Then, on top of that, the chord choices run the gamut of non-diatonic, jazzy progressions, giving this song an otherworldly sound.
The video depicts a lot of odd imagery, including a watermelon, a stabbing, a pajama-wearing getaway driver, a cluster of purple balloons, a whole lot of pearls, a beach ball, and a (perceived) ritual. Needless to say, it’s pretty artsy. You get color. You get plot. You get character. You get a brilliant production value. It’s everything you could want from a music video and more.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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