By now you might know that we are huge fans of 1st Base Runner, having covered the psychedelic and surrealist visual for his epic single, Near Me, and the powerful and anthemic, Planter, so when we heard that the star had also released the Night Stalker EP, we couldn’t wait to listen.
Opening with In the Neighbourhood, we are greeted by a super dimensional synth and intricate guitar notes, the overall experience is meditative and moody, needless to say we are obsessed.
The star sings, “I got last in your part of town, in your neighbourhood…” as he takes us on a cerebral, synthetic journey. Next up is Dark Drive Though the Canyon, which evokes a similar immersive energy, with panning nuances that showcase the expansive nature of the composer’s vision. The video is outstanding and hypnotizing, featuring our protagonist, Tim Husmann of 1st Base Runner, being filmed in an almost voyeuristic fashion by director Dilly Gent as he sits “high on a box inside a convertible while driving around Long Beach.”
We learn that his instructions were to “remain statue still”, despite cold conditions and the fact that he had just filmed his underwater music video, Man Overboard, earlier that day.
The title track of the EP, Night Stalker follows with a glistening sound and an emerging industrial bassline as the visionary artists sings, “I will follow if you leave me, I will follow if you need me…” showcasing a rather surreal and sometimes subversive mood in line with the concept of the record. We love the psychedelic build of the track, and the metallic vibe that 1st Base Runner delivers with his sonic architecture.
The Serpent and Space acts as a meditative and introspective finale, as the star asks us, “Don’t you wonder if love is the reason? Aren’t you scared to sleep at night?”
The cinematic record is rather thought-provoking, particularly in today’s landscape of unwarranted stalking, but we are sure that the intention is to raise awareness of the issue of harassment as the opus feels cathartic for both creator and listener!