Stranger Days: Iman Lake's Dystopian World
19.07.20 — Words by Fuse Manchester
Beyond the clouded lines of R&B and Hip-Hop influences, Iman Lake’s latest release ‘Stranger Days’ is a dramatic, dystopian take on the Western socio-political climate. It’s official music video draws you within a captivating scene, taken from comic releases illustrated by Atria Wahyu. Narrated by Lake himself, you begin to feel at home - with visual cues to modern day-to-day and global events we’re now surrounded by. Stranger Days is a protest to these issues. A breaking-of-the-wheel of powerlessness in relation to the wider world and it’s problems. “A little bit of greed, is all we’ll ever need” is just an extract from Stranger Days, juxtaposing with perspectives lyrically - something all too familiar in Lake’s past discography.
Escapism, societal apathy, constant fear of bad news are all relevant inspirations for Lake and creative director, Azeez Bello. Yet, there’s a nostalgic element as Lake’s own upbringing is closely fought within the record and upcoming sounds. Growing up in East London as the son of a pastor, ensures a unique perspective on vice and virtue - themes that play a key role in his artistry.
Illustrations are based on contemporary TV series, Watchmen. Rather than asking, how do we see the world, the realist tells. Stranger Days tells. Set within a city rife with homelessness, political power and corruption, the continuous constant are the people, wherever they stand. References to naturistic elements are reminiscent of the afterlife and subtly, there’s hope within the fight. Without giving too much away, Stranger Days can draw you in with the lyrics, and keeps you trapped in it’s environments. A minute into the video, the world falls as rainforests turn to factories and the people of the city start to run. Again, Wahyu is striving to create a sense of familiarity by depicting news we all see, day-to-day.
Stranger Days hopes to shine the spotlight on our worst fears, inspiring viewers and listeners to break out of the circle of senselessness that thrives on the lack of fight it starts to create. It’s a powerful, emphatic listen, with a strong conceptual interpretation behind the beats. By listening and watching, you are now put into the shoes of the many. It’s now up to you to decide how strange these days feel.
Listen to Iman’s music here. Watch the Stranger Days video:
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Image credits: Sophie Barry (Black and white headshot) & Azeez Bello (Red and blue headshot)
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