If you’ve ever wondered what the physical manifestation of loneliness might look like, Friday Night Plans have got you covered with the music video for their latest single “All the Dots”.
The Tokyo-based outfit, comprised of singer and songwriter Masumi and a number of collaborators, mainly producer/drummer Tepppei, weave together vast influences that cover the globe — everything from Justin Bieber to Nigerian-Canadian singer ODIE, South Korean crooner DEAN and even American jazz — tempering them all into a distilled soundscape that’s both hauntingly beautiful and sonically experimental.
Musically, “All the Dots” explores the concept of fear. “The song talks about the first time I realised how much I had been hurt,” says singer Masumi. “There is a lyric that says ‘Thought that I was mine’ on the song. I think everyone might have experienced that, like some bad memories control your mind and you feel like you can’t move your body the way you want it to.”
The video, which was directed by Osrin and is premiering exclusively on i-D, was filmed in Thailand and dives into the shared experience of isolation, while shining a light on to issues affecting South East Asia more broadly, such as exploitation and the dichotomy and disparity between traditional and modern cultures.
“I had been to Thailand twice prior to this shoot, and my general impression of the country was that the people are very kind but also there is a dark and gloomy side in the culture as well,” says Osrin. “It might be because my point of view is from the outside, but the distinct line of lightness and darkness served as a massive inspiration for me. I believe that regardless of differences in cultural surroundings, we all have loneliness in common. It’s all just a series of dots, nothing more, nothing less. However, it is important to accept loneliness without negativity and consciously coexist with others, despite the fact that we all are alone.”
“Losing something we love and believe in is the worst thing,” adds Masumi. “It makes us build walls around ourselves and makes us harder to believe in. And then we would start to think being alone is the best way to protect ourselves. It’s sad though.”
Take an exclusive look at the video for “All the Dots” below.