The GOTHBOICLIQUE member returns with a reflective single from his long-awaited EP, ‘Master Fully Empty.’
Texas-based JPDREAMTHUG has earned a reputation as one of the more elusive members of the accomplished internet collective GothBoiClique. Routine music drops are a rarity for him, which makes his latest project Master Fully Empty all the more special. His prior release was 2015’s Gently Stone – a project highly acclaimed for its atmospheric style of synth-laden instrumentals and spacey, echoing vocals. In the elapsed time between the two releases, fans were clamoring for the next chapter in his discography while continuing to revel in the sound of his past work. As a celebration of the wait finally being over, the music video for his single “Carousel,” produced by Jcam, saw a Feb. 1 premiere on Astari. Having seldom stepped into the spotlight until now, JP is cast front and center in the Joe Dumonsau-directed visual.
Themes of solitude and mystery immediately come to the forefront of the track. Beginning and ending with an animation of the GBC logo not only acts as a nod to the group he calls home, but also as a reminder that some simply know him as a member of the collective and little more. In the opening verse, the lyric, “all they know is one of my sides, all you get is partial” alludes to the limitation of skin-deep acquaintance. Much like watching a carousel rotate from a single angle, the observer is only able to understand the parts to which they are exposed. An invitation to see JP’s point of view comes as the camera zooms through his eyes. Dumonsau’s directing returns to scenes of the artist cutting a shadowy figure before a minimally adorned backdrop, reflecting how there is but shallow insight to be gained at the surface level. Low-level lighting produces a more prominent projection of his silhouette on the paint, constructing a darker ambiance throughout.
Although JPDREAMTHUG may still be something of an enigma, listeners continue to connect with him through the medium of his thought-provoking craft. Stream the visual for “Carousel” below.