PREMIERE: Irish artist Nixer unveils haywire 'Second Hand' video

London-based Irish act Nixer is back with a bang today, unveiling the compelling visuals for 'Second Hand' alongside news of the artist's second EP.

I hit the town and the town hit me back is planned to land this autumn, following 'Second Hand's original May release via Blowtorch Records. If the single is anything to go by, I hit the town... will pack quite the punch.

Drogheda's Seán Keenan caused quite a stir since exploding onto the scene a few years ago (with then-member Gearóid Peggs), creating electronic nu-wave dance soundscapes with frenetic results. Nixer cite influences as vast as Boy Harsher, Molchat Doma, King Krule, Fontaines D.C., and The Stone Roses, which can all be heard on their 2022 debut EP, PEOPLE FEEL.

Since then, singles 'Pleasure' and 'Irish Dancer' have seen Nixer turn towards a fresher sound than the artist's 2020 debut 'Your Days Are Over'.

Announcing an EP needs to be packaged with a powerful statement, and Louis Blenkinsop, Jesse Cox alongside Mike Griffiths have done just that by directing the new Nixer video for 'Second Hand'.

Nixer, 'Second Hand' video.

Adding layers to Keenan's frustration-filled, anxious lyricism that people in their twenties during the Covid-19 lockdowns can especially relate to, the track delves into feelings of being left behind or tossed aside by life. The pacing of the video matches the wall of noise building in the single, showing a mysterious man in white running around a car-boot sale.

"I met Louis (director) at a club in London in 2019 and we really hit it off," Seán Keenan tells Hot Press. "We hadn't seen each other or spoken for years afterwards but I noticed through Spotify for Artists that Louis was a fan and had been adding Nixer singles to his personal Spotify playlists. When I made the last Nixer music video with Emma Smith and Angela Mulhern we last minute looped Louis in to work with us on the shoot.

"It was a proper shot in the dark but his energy was so calm and amazing, I really love being around this guy. I then started to share unreleased music with Louis and he was super keen on taking on 'Second Hand' and embodying the song's energy visually. I love weird stuff and I think Louis did an amazing job!"

Self-produced, self-informed DIY music is the essence of what Nixer do, using  a distinctively Irish accent on vocals with rock edges and synth magic. Somehow, collaboration only fuelled the fire.

"Three of us co-directed this which is strange but it worked with what we were trying to achieve," co-director Louis Blenkinsop adds. "We’re mates so we bounce off each other, spontaneity and improvisation helped us to match Seán’s and the song’s energy. That’s what we were trying to realise with the video. After Seán had told us why he wrote the song and what the lyrics meant to him, we wanted somebody to convey the helplessness that accompanies Seán’s second-hand sentiment. The man in the white suit embodies that fear and ugliness that you feel being ‘left-over’ – the beautiful chaos of the car-boot totally reflects that."

Watch the video for 'Second Hand' below.

Music Video credits:

Directors:
Louis Blenkinsop, @louisblenkinsop
Jesse Cox
Mike Griffiths, @mikeg1399

DP
Louis Blenkinsop

Edited / Graded
Louis Blenkinsop

White suit
Ethan Elliot @ethyweathy

The Freaks
Jesse Cox
Hayley Carolan @yehayl
Anna Gorman @aannarchy
Mike Griffiths
Sean Keenan @__seankeenan__
Mabel Streek @lebamkeerts

Special Thanks
Ruby Streek @burlybosoms

Original single released on May 19th, 2023
All music by Nixer
Written by Seán Keenan
Vocals/Guitar by Seán Keenan
Lyrics by Seán Keenan
Produced by Simon Gardner @simonlgardner
Mixing by Simon Gardner

Mastered by Rude 66 in Amsterdam, April 2023.

Artwork by Louis Blenkinsop.