We at East of 8th celebrate creativity and innovation every chance we get, and Nashville rock band Raviner is the star of our current party; their anthemic 2016 debut EP, [DISCONNECTED], explored themes of self-discovery and self-realization, disillusionment with institutionalized religion, spiritual and emotional abuse, all centered around a core message—believing in yourself.
Now the band is releasing a visual component to accompany [DISCONNECTED]. “We wanted to take these vast, ‘larger-than-life’ ideas and form them into visual expression,” says vocalist Kamber Kigin. “We felt that a short film project would best encapsulate these ideas, and furthermore, a non-dialogue film that relies on set design, visual symbols and motifs (i.e. mirrors, birdcages, boxes, photographs, skeleton keys, forest, basement, faceless photographs, etc) and strong, emotive actors to enhance the story and elevate the musical project to a whole new level.”
The film also has its own score which mirrors the sonic ideas introduced in the EP, with each musical moment specifically curated and crafted to emphasize the storyline. Today, Raviner releases the second portion of the short film, entitled Gemini. “We chose cues from our second single of the EP, ‘Maybe’ as the key theme for this segment,” Kigin explains. “‘Maybe’ constantly uses paradoxical images and symbols to show the push and pull of self-doubt, confusion, and shame in abusive relationships—whether that relationship is with another person, or with yourself.”
Gemini features a different story than the first release, Scarlet; the dark-haired character, “Gemini,” is played by Natalie Pauley, bassist and vocalist for fellow Nashville rock outfit The By Gods. “She lives in a pristine, unoffensive day-to-day that completely ignores her own emotions and desires. We chose the name “gemini” in reference to the astrological symbol of the twin sisters in conflict with the other,” says Kigin. “Gemini is so disconnected from her true self that she is split in half. These ideas are constant throughout the record and in the film.” Like Scarlet, Gemini embarks on an illusive journey of self-discovery, and both women’s contrasting destinies are somehow intertwined. (You can view Scarlet here.)
Without further ado, East of 8th proudly presents Gemini by Raviner:
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