The Violet Kind – Speakeasy (Video Premiere)

Roses are red, The Violet Kind aren’t blue, but they’ve got a brilliant new music video for you, which you can watch in the player above or on YouTube. Speakeasy is the lead single taken from The Violet Kind's upcoming concept EP OXTR, which tackles the issues surrounding rape culture head-on, offering a means of catharsis for the survivors of sexual violence. On Speakeasy, lead singer Katya Mansell sings, ‘If I could have spoken easily / Time and time again I’d still say no.' It’s a powerful song which is equally powerful in its musicality, knowing exactly when to hold back and when to go for it, all guns blazing.

“This song likens the actions of a perpetrator to the idea of Speakeasies; hidden bars which existed during the period of prohibition in 20th century America,” Mansell tells us. “On face value, there may be no apparent cause for concern. However, the actions taking place behind closed doors are both damaging and illegal.

“The song deals with the issue of consent and the factors which can impact a survivor’s ability to say no." Mansell continues: "The video, directed by Dan Aitken and Shona Spalding, highlights the effect alcohol has on someone who is intoxicated; losing sense of time, experiencing blackouts and an inability to speak easily. Through Speakeasy, we seek to give a voice back to the survivor, saying ‘no’ for those who were not able to.

“Speakeasy is influenced by the thematic ideas used by John Williams in his film scores; using ascending motifs for heroes and descending motifs for villains. The song features a long descending riff which represents the villain in this story – the one who commits the crime. The song was also influenced by Foals, ensuring that the concept ideas were approached with a strong, indie rock soundscape.”

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OXTR is out on 16 Mar via Kindness Records