“Hypotheticals” by Doe Paoro

With the release of Doe Paoro’s Anti- debut album AfterPaoro contributes an earthy, minimalist sound that is simultaneously nostalgic and contemporary,” the singer-songwriter unveils a visually ambitious video for her song “Hypotheticals” care of NPR. The clip follows Paoro as she travels through an exotic and increasingly dreamlike setting in and around Tulum Mexico, the imagery mirroring the vibe and progression of the song. Paoro discusses the video, directed by Dan Huiting, and her collaboration with a local Mexican artist collective.

“A friend of mine who I met in India lives in Tulum, Mexico and I went down there to visit her in 2012 and fell in love with the land, culture and community there. People there have maintained a strong sense of connection, respect and care for the earth in a way that I resonate with and find powerful. I wanted to make a video that showed a little bit of this.  For this video, Dan Huiting (pitchfork city of music) and I teamed up with Residencia Gorila, which is an Artist Collective in Tulum to make the video. I am jumping into a cenote in the scene off the bridge. Cenotes are incredible because in many of them, you can see underwater clearly with your eyes open . Dan and I liked this idea of having the elements of sky, earth, and underwater as part of the journey of the video; a reflection of the various internal spaces we experience when traveling through the decisions we’ve made in life.”

On AfterPaoro worked with producers Sean Carey (drummer / supporting vocalist for Bon Iver) and BJ Burton (The Tallest Man on Earth, Sylvan Esso, and others) to even further deepen her musical repertoire, creating a mesmerizing hybrid of R&B, synthpop, and indie-leaning electro rooted in an earthy minimalism, drawing from influences ranging from Carole King to Portishead, Aretha Franklin and beyond. The album was recorded at April Base, a Wisconsin ranch house that Vernon had converted into a studio.

After plays with time, space, and mood to provide an ever-changing backdrop for Paoro’s exploration of the album’s often painful subject matter. “Many of the songs come from a feeling of loss, and the period of reflection that unfolds after you’ve realize something’s ended,” says Paoro, who co-wrote After with a number of songwriters that included—in addition to Fox—Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John), Max Hershenow (MS MR), and Adam Rhodes.

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