Michael Vettraino’s Chasing the Sub Lime ia a fully realized cinematic and auditory experience that transports us to a futuristic, introspective world. With its hypnotic synths and minimalist yet intricately designed soundscape, the track explores the increasingly blurred lines between technology and identity. Vettraino’s distinctive timbre guides us through a post-digital existence, where artificial intelligence promises connection yet fuels detachment. The song’s themes of control, discomfort, and emotional numbing are amplified by its immersive production, a testament to Vettraino’s ability to craft multidimensional music that resonates beyond sound.
The accompanying music video is a visual spectacle, bringing Vettraino’s cerebral universe to life with a striking, futuristic aesthetic, presenting a dystopian vision of a “Post Screen World,” where hyper-connectivity has eroded personal agency. It manifests a sleek, high-tech atmosphere filled with eerie neon-lit corridors and stark, mechanical landscapes. The production design introduces intricate cyborg elements, wearable tech, and surreal growths that blur the boundaries between human and machine. The result is a stunning, immersive narrative that visually expands on the song’s lyrical themes.
The visual effects play a crucial role in elevating the narrative, integrating digital glitches, artificial environments, and a seamless fusion of organic and synthetic imagery. The Mycelium Network adds an ethereal, interconnected visual motif, symbolizing the digital web that ensnares the protagonist. Political Consultant Daisy L Carter brings a layer of socio-political depth to the project, ensuring that the video’s themes extend beyond digital identity into real-world issues like systemic control and the manipulation of perception.
Adding further layers to the video’s immersive world, it features visual nods to powerful historical and cultural figures. These references serve as a reminder that history, activism, and resistance are intrinsically linked to the struggles depicted in Chasing the Sub Lime. Vettraino’s choice to pay respect to Marsha P. Johnson, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. reinforces the song’s deeper message: the fight for autonomy and identity extends beyond the digital realm and into the fabric of society.
As the music swells, the protagonist’s journey from perceived control to realization of helplessness unfolds through mesmerizing cinematography and dynamic movement. The pacing mirrors the lyrical shift from confidence to despair, culminating in a climax where digital escape becomes an inescapable loop. The line, “If I never stop scrolling, I never have to feel anything again…” becomes a haunting mantra, visualized through a hypnotic, spiralling descent into algorithmic oblivion. The choreography and framing reflect the paradox of modern existence – constant stimulation masking an underlying emptiness.
With its genre-blending sound, cerebral lyricism, and visually arresting music video, Chasing the Sub Lime cements Michael Vettraino as a singular artist pushing the boundaries of modern music and storytelling. The track and its accompanying visuals serve as both a critique of and a product of our hyper-digital world, leaving audiences with an unsettling yet exhilarating aftertaste. By merging infectious synth-pop rhythms with profound societal reflections, Vettraino invites listeners to dance their way through existential reckoning – one beat at a time. We have added the opus to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TRIPPY playlist, whilst we anticipate future releases from the visionary artist, and continue to stream his debut single, From Down Here.