Friday, South London recording artist Klein shared the music video for “Claim It” from her 2019 debut studio album
Known for her “pop collages,” Klein’s video for “Claim It” presents her birthday party from a first-person perspective. Utilizing face-swapping technology, each attendee to the house party’s face begins to twitch and switch, creating a creepy pause-and-go effect in the pallidly lit video. The song, in turn, is rather unnerving—it utilizes uncomfortable sounds not normally found in traditional electronic dance music, including sounds of coughing and disturbed laughs.
Despite this, the song always hinges on a rhythmic core, sounding just-left-of-center in regards to other London club fare. In 2017, Klein did a FADER interview in which she stated some of her influences, including Björk protegee Arca, Brandy and “folklore,” which in her personal lexicon can mean anything from sea shanties to Love & Hip Hop. “What sonically I want to hear for myself is stories,” she said. Through her offbeat music, it shows—there’s a whimsy to “Claim It,” and a clear romanticism somewhere at its core. The video, in turn, reflects this: It feels like a portrait of a lived experience and a collage of all of Klein’s eclectic interests. Her personality shines through the mire.
Watch the “Claim It” video below.