Lola Marsh's latest video, "Wishing Girl".
Written by Gillian Booth on July 11, 2017
“Wishing Girl” is the newest music video release by Israeli indie-pop band, Lola Marsh. The track is a feature off their album, “Remember Roses“, featured on Echoes Top 25, June 2017. The band was originally formed in Tel Aviv back in 2013 by duo Gil Landua and Yael Shoshana Cohen, who were introduced by mutual friends. After achieving popularity from playing concerts at clubs, the duo was signed to Anova Music. Three other musicians, Mati Gilad (Bass), Rami Osservaser (Guitar, Keyboards), and Dekel Dvir (Drums and samplers), joined the group later. Landau is a multi-instrumentalist, playing a brisk and sharp ukelele, sparkling keyboard, strings, xylophone, tambourine and drums, amongst other percussion in “Wishing Girl”. Cohen sings with a rich, deep tone which still contains a palpably light, springy, and gentle quality to travel up and down the song’s infectious melody. The hook is graced by a whistling tone that is so catchy, you will not be able to shake it out of your head.
The end of Cohen’s phrases are met with a light vibrato, similar to what is used by many other vocalists in the indie style. I see a strong resemblance and influence of Lana del Rey in Lola Marsh’s musicality and visual aesthetic. Fun fact: Cohen once auditioned for The Voice Israel with Lana del Rey’s “Video Games”! Not only are both in the genre of indie-pop, they also both utilize vintage aesthetics. The video for Lola Marsh’s “You’re Mine” features the same “driving through the desert” theme as Lana del Rey’s “Ride” and Lana del Rey’s newest album, “Lust for Life”, released an album preview video which featured heavy space themes, just like “Wishing Girl”. Both Cohen and Lana del Rey’s songs contain lyrics and themes that resonate with listeners.
An important aspect about the music video is that it is filmed with the picture cut into the shape of a circle. The symbolism of the circle is prevalent throughout the video. Objects with a circular or spherical shape are focused on throughout: hoop earrings, bike tires, water glasses, eyes, the belly of the ukelele, drums, a disco ball, a lamp, coins, an airbag, and most importantly, an alien planet. The comparison to worldly objects to the alien planet is explained when a group of aliens try to abduct a couple facing an unexpected pregnancy. Distracted by the alien space ship hovering over the car en route to the hospital, her partner slams into another car, causing the pregnant woman in labor to be thrown out of the window. She is rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Waiting in the lobby, the man comes face to face with the aliens. He goes through an alien time warp and travels through space and time. This occurrence can be interpreted in many ways, but in my opinion, I believe that in the warp, he made a deal with the aliens so that his child could survive. Suddenly, the storytelling changes and the video picture fills the whole screen, not only a circle anymore. The man is seen falling onto the alien planet and then shortly after, holding his child, safely alive in the hospital. It is not explained if the woman survived, so was she the sacrifice to the aliens? There are many questions left unanswered and it is up to the viewer to decide.
The video for Wishing Girl is much deeper and eclectic than the song itself. The song is a light and whimsical pop tune. The two do not seem to match, however, the combination still works, especially with the space theme. Cohen sings, “Cause you, you are my lonely star/ And I’m, I’m your wishing girl.”
The video also utilizes 3D effects. Images are poured over the circular lens, creating an illusion that objects are coming out of the screen. Landau and Cohen are featured throughout the video with this effect, their instruments popping out of the screen and into the face of t
he viewer.
The duo is featured as the storytellers in this tale. Maybe these two have been the mysterious aliens the whole time? They do have magical 3D powers, after all.
“Remember Roses” is available now through Anova Music.