San Francisco nu-gaze comet Wisp has a massive year ahead, with festival appearances set for Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Kilby Block Party, as well as an opening slot on System of a Down’s summer stadium tour, where the rising project from Natalie R. Lu will share stages with the likes of Korn, Deftones, and Avenged Sevenfold.
It’s all heady stuff, so it makes sense that Wisp comes armed with a “Sword.” The expansive and icy new single dropped last Friday (March 14), aligning her sweeping sound with a cinematic video directed by Rudy Grazziani and Valeriya Dyatko that draws us deeper into Wisp’s vivid sonic and visual landscape. “Sword” is a haunting cascade of emotion, and Wisp has proven able to sling such heaviness with relative ease, as she knows that through the shadowy corridors of darkness awaits light.
“‘Sword’ represents the shame and confusion people feel when loved ones hide them from the world,” Wisp says. “It’s about not having a chance to shine because your partner keeps you in the dark.”
Get into the medieval fantasy world of “Sword” below.