Video Of The Week #44: Ralegh Long – Big August [PREMIERE]

To celebrate winning the top Help Musicians UK/PledgeMusic’s Emerging Artist Award for his new album Upwards Of Summer, Ralegh Long is set to release ‘Big August’ as a new single. In sync with the season, Long has described the track as dealing with, “the promise and menace of high summer.” Chiming mandolins and Jack Hayter’s (ex-Hefner) swooping pedal steel, combine in a lush soundscape decorated by King’s reflective tone, which we have previously said brings to mind, “a British Kurt Vile or Ryan Adams.” The song was written while touring in Singapore – a country where somewhat surprisingly Long has developed a significant fan base – and finds this most autumnal and English of songwriters exploring a tropical, sun-drenched climate. The soundscape is complemented by impressionist imagery depicting a world unravelling in the summer sun, with, “greens the colour of orange and reds the colour of blue.”

The video, which you can watch above, nods to the song’s origin by combing an intimate performance with plant details and vintage footage of Singapore and Hawaii. The video was directed by rising director Katia Ganfield, who has helmed videos for Childhood, Telegram, Yassasin, and Mellah. She is currently working on a documentary for Channel 4 which explores mental health in the music industry – a theme that resonates strongly with the story behind Upwards of Summer.