MANILA, Philippines – Phum Viphurit has all the time been recognized for his laidback indie sound, his mellow vocals usually meshed with catchy guitar riffs and bass traces. Simply consider his earliest releases, “Lover Boy,” “Lengthy Gone,” and “Strangers in a Dream.”
Whereas these qualities are nonetheless current in Phum’s music years later, this time round, the Bangkok-born artist is marking an attention-grabbing new period in his profession, and fairly actually remodeling with the assistance of his alter ego, Paul Vibhavadi.
Paul is that human-sloth hybrid you’ll have seen in Phum’s current social media posts. When he was selling certainly one of his newest singles “The Different Facet,” he archived his complete Instagram web page, and left his followers with only one factor: a video of him addressing everybody like regular, then all of a sudden turning into the furry creature we now know as Paul.
“I actually wished to discover that sort of [gimmick] by seeing how individuals react if someday, an artist that you just like simply disappeared…like he was on his cellphone speaking to you and also you noticed [him] change proper earlier than your eyes. It’s just the start of the artwork, of the story, of the idea, of this alter ego,” shared Phum.
Certainly, that is just the start of the newest of Phum’s artistry.
Breaking into new floor
On October 17, Phum launched his EP, Paul Vibhavadi Vol. 1. On this file, listeners will be capable to accompany Paul on his quest to search out the legendary forest, and get a style of peace and solitude within the course of, too. However as a substitute, all Paul finds is disappointment.
“It’s the primary season of Paul Vibhavadi,” Phum defined. “The ending music is about his choice: does he depart the whole lot behind and disappear eternally or does he select to rework again into human? It’s fairly on the market.”
It’s by way of this alter ego that the 29-year-old was given the liberty to inform tales past his personal experiences. It’s even allowed him to flee the unstated want for any artist within the present music panorama to churn out album after album, and to consistently be on tour. Apparently, it’s the place the traces between actuality and fiction blur, too.
“The largest change on this mission was most likely the angle of taking a look at it. I noticed it as full fiction. In fact, there are some issues which might be associated to my journey as Phum, but it surely sparked a very new fireplace for me,” Phum shared.
With a brand new id additionally comes a brand new sound – and it’s one thing that Phum has lengthy been fascinated with however is now simply showcasing in his newest EP.
“I’ve all the time been into digital music, particularly early 2000s home, like The Chemical Brothers or bands like Modjo. And I knew right away that if I ever bought the possibility, when the timing was proper, that I’d pursue this kind of sound. But additionally, I’d love to include my type of storytelling and the way I write lyrics as properly. That grew to become this mission,” Phum advised Rappler.
For the eyes, not simply the ears
It’s fairly clear that Phum’s artistry doesn’t simply lie in his music, but in addition within the visuals of his releases. Take for instance the music video for “The Different Facet,” which sees Paul Vibhavadi attempt to discover his manner by way of the legendary Himmapan Forest.
Phum has directed and co-directed a number of of his music movies already up to now, however “The Different Facet” marks the primary time he’s needed to don full make-up and particular results for a complete day — within the sweltering Bangkok warmth at that. Bodily challenges apart, nevertheless, Phum says he would do it over again if he may.
“[My co-director and I] simply thought, ‘Let’s have slightly enjoyable.’ How far can the character go? What are the symbolisms we may play with? And yeah, the room, we will depart for the viewers to interpret the journey,” the singer-songwriter shared.
Being a movie faculty graduate, Phum takes inspiration from numerous kinds of cinema to create his music movies, usually discovering himself engrossed in a variety of collection, films, experimental brief movies, and arthouse productions. Living proof: French filmmaker Michel Gondry.
“[Gondry’s work is] all the time revolutionary, not all the time tremendous excessive price range, however when he makes a video for somebody, it’s all the time related to what the artist is doing, and the idea is all the time distinctive. There’s simply that particular contact to it you could’t put your finger on. In the future I hope to make my visible works that cool,” Phum advised Rappler.
As Phum builds up on Paul Vibhavadi’s lore and explores the place else his creativity can take him, he solely hopes that his listeners have as a lot enjoyable as he did engaged on his new releases.
“That is most likely probably the most enjoyable I’ve had making music in a really, very very long time so I hope it interprets. Irrespective of how bizarre the journey will get, simply please know that I’m having plenty of enjoyable and laughing at plenty of the reactions individuals had been having,” Phum stated. – Rappler.com
