Today, KAZU shares the sweeping trailer for her upcoming visual album Adult Baby, set to “Meo,” the second single from her debut solo LP.
“Meo” is one of the most significant and courageous tracks of Adult Baby — it is no accident that it was chosen as the soundtrack to the extraordinary, moving trailer for the upcoming narrative film that accompanies Adult Baby, a genuine visual album inspired by the cinematic music of the album, by filmmaker Eva Michon.
The forthcoming film is an ambitious co-production, produced by Lief with support of Ponderosa Music Records, Isabel Marant, Common Good, Merman, and Handsome. Costumes were designed by French designer Isabel Marant, a longtime friend of KAZU, in support of her long-awaited stand-alone project and her first solo endeavor outside of Blonde Redhead.
The eerie opening scene evolves into an expansive panoramic dream, teasing Michon’s vivid intertwining of sound and vision. The film for Adult Baby was conceived and delivered on the island of Elba–a small jewel in the Tyrrhenian sea off Tuscany, where in 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte was banished into exile and where KAZU is resolved to spend much of her life.
A distinct sample is used on the track “Name and Age”—the unmistakable cry of Godzilla. This was the spark of inspiration for Michon, who wrote a fictitious folklore-esque tale which would become the blueprint for the visual album film. Inspired by historical events and symbolism of the island, Michon treats each song from Adult Baby as a chapter of the larger narrative, which will be approximately 40 minutes in length.
The result of collaboration with Blonde Redhead bandmate Amadeo Pace, the track “Meo” also features synths and piano from Ryuichi Sakamoto, percussion from Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, and flute from Robbie Lee. Minimal instrumentation swells into a climax facilitated by Art Orchestra of Budapest that runs parallel to the lyrical content of the song, confirming KAZU as a full-spectrum artist who is unafraid to use music to reveal her innermost feelings.
In addition to the trailer and single, KAZU has shared a release date of September 13th and the album cover art. Adult Baby will be released via KAZU’s own Adult Baby Records with distribution from !K7.