Dream Wife Go Under: Thoughts and Praise for “After the Rain”
By Sami Ridge
If one were to take a glance back at Dream Wife’s small body of work (the trio only formed 4 years ago, after all), ‘touched’ would be a word used best to describe the effect of their newest visual masterpiece, helmed by director Helga Katrínardóttir. Released on July 16th, the music video for their track, “After the Rain,” is a watercolor revelation, if not a realized next-step in their career.
“Let’s Make Out,” their debut album’s opening track, was my introduction to Dream Wife; it’s an explosive homage closely aligned with the likes of feminist staples such as Le Tigre, The Slits, and Babes in Toyland. I knew they had an unruliness that stood out in the new wave of explosive post-punk acts, but, as “After the Rain” proves, sometimes, a touch of depth from the band is also in store for the rowdy listener. If their self-titled debut gave us style, wit, and the unique blend of rebellion that we crave, then their sophomore (released July 4) closes on a balancing note.
The video opens on singer Rakel Mjöll’s slow advance towards a black ocean; she’s dressed in floral patterns, lending the possibility of a romantic, either-or outcome. The song rises as feet touch shoreline, and though we wonder briefly how the album could’ve taken such a turn in theme with this track— from groovy to reflective—t’s a deep, wonderful transition. The words seem to lead her into the water: “To be loved from far away/makes me understand, feel the gain/of being raised this way/Taking in the smell after the rain.” At this point, the song seems to touch on what all women can recognize; the strange passing from childhood to maturity.
We cut to bassist Bella Podpadec’s own submergence in water via bathtub, and the two scenes intertwine into a pseudo-baptism, aided by a rising swell of piano and vocals. Both band members lie back in the grips of their own catharsis and, as a nearby bathroom sink slowly fills, guitarist Alice Go joins the frame to complete the triad.
Ophelia, Millais (1852)
Now, there are two things to note. Some classical-art fans will probably notice the video’s near-identical homage to Sir John Everett Millais’ 1852 painting of Ophelia, the tragic heroine of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, at this point in the video. Mjöll’s expression is uncanny, paired with what she sings: “Hold me close then push me away/Fully exposed in so many ways/You would choose your independence any day/So listen to what I came here to say.” It was in fact Prince Hamlet’s mixed signals, in part, that drove Ophelia to her famous (though unconfirmed) suicide by drowning in the story.
Secondly, water has been the oldest expression of the feminine; it’s flowing, interchangeable, and uncontrolled. From Rakel’s relaxed repose in the deep end, to Podpadec’s performance of reflection, to Go’s act of going under, I’d say water’s heavy use in this video is obvious. It’s as if the video itself is a love letter to the age-old element, but it’s also about the enduring power of choice.
As the band has been quoted on their intention, “We have used water in both the song and video to symbolize and explore the singular, yet collective experience of abortion. Water is the fundamental ingredient for all life. We are 75% water. Water is all, and all pain is shared pain… It is our choice to craft the narratives of our own lives and fight the restrictions put on us by a society attempting to control our bodies. It’s feeling all the feelings and knowing that the storm will pass.”
The trio rises from the depths by the song’s end, and the video closes on a soft series of raindrops.
Make sure to keep up with Dream Wife via their socials. Listen to their new album, So When You Gonna…, on any of your favorite streaming platforms and read our interview with the band in our 17th issue!
PC: Sarah Piantadosi