“‘if the world stops’ is the kind of song where you can sit there listening and lose sense of your surroundings because you’re so immersed in the instrumental, the vocals, the lyrics. Everything.”
LA-based indie rock artist Ben Kai released his second single ‘if the world stops’ this week, where he eloquently observes and then contemplates the intricate complexities of life, and the pain that comes with it.
‘if the world stops” intro is heavy on emotion, serene in its nature. The vocals then meet the instrumental as it shifts, opening strong with the title and proceeding to get intense and intriguing with the lyricism – memory being a key motif.
The repeated guitar sequence builds anticipation, tugging at our heart strings. The line ‘dream your life away’ perpetuates this, leaving us both musically and lyrically fulfilled. The vocals have a tone that is low-pitched and smooth. There’s a calming essence, contrasting the deep topics Kai sings about.
On explaining the heartfelt meaning behind ‘if the world stops’ and delving into the making of the music video, Ben Kai says “The music video for my song “if the world stops” was something I felt like I had to create. My mom was unexpectedly diagnosed with lung cancer and I was in complete emotional panic. I didn’t have the words to express how scared I was. So, as an emotional outlet, I decided to write and film a music video that communicates the frantic fear and pain I didn’t know how to say. The entire project was happening while my mom was at her worst and suffering. I was editing the video next to her bed in the hospital. This story is a true embodiment of my pain.”
And there’s no denying that the music video encapsulates those feelings of fear and pain that the music also describes so articulately and meticulously. With cleverly crafted cyclical structure and a mesmerising storyline that reflects the atmosphere of the song, we can see Kai’s feelings visually brought to life, and resonate with his search for memories all the more so.
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You can listen to the song here:
And here: