by mariah estran
photo by bryan warner
On May 12th, bedroom-pop artist Derek Simpson released his single and music video, “XING.” It’s a groovy tune that continues to instill those sensational saucy loops previously found on “U-Turn” and “Hide + Seek.”
But for “XING,” these playful sounds are being heightened with the visual Simpson has directed. The fuzzy footage follows a skateboarder around Long Beach, as scenes cut to the singer dancing freely in numerous fashion statements. The six-minute video plays on the theme of ambiguity. From the unrefined, hazy filming to a psychedelic video splice, there’s no clear definition. And there doesn’t need to be. As Simpson says about the track, “The conversation around gender and gender roles these days has remained pretty serious and rightfully so. We should all have the right to feel safe living in a free expression of our innermost truths. “XING” is my own attempt to carry a different conversation though, a lighter one that shines in celebration of androgyny and a liberating playfulness that comes with the decision to remain outside of any specific definitions.”
Simpson has managed to put that light perspective on the subject while still provoking a conversation. As the footage blurs together, and the singer freely thrusts to the beat, a viewer can’t help but hope for a future with further unrestricted self-expression.