Filipino indie rock stalwarts We Are Imaginary has dropped the official music video for their latest single, “Stockholm.”
Directed by long-time collaborator Darrell Guinn of Hungry Cat Pictures, the music video features the classic tale of Dracula, but this time, reimagined as a brooding, hopeless romantic, lost in a world that has long outgrown him.
Shot entirely in Bangkok City, Thailand, the music video centers around a reclusive Dracula figure, rendered in monochrome even while the world around him thrives in full, popping color. It incorporate B-movie nostalgia and camp elements with emotional introspection, perfectly mirroring the song’s own lyrical sensibilities.
“I had this vision of doing a B-movie-inspired Dracula who’s quite emo and still attached to the past,” Ahmad Tanji, the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, shares. “The video was meant to be light in contrast with the dark layers of the song. We’ve worked with Darrell Guinn of Hungry Cat Pictures before, so he came into mind immediately. The concept just worked with his taste as I’ve known him to be a horror movie buff and is quite theatrical in his productions.”
Director Darrel Guinn elaborates on the visual choices, including the decision to keep Dracula in monochrome even in daylight. “Dracula can almost interact with the world, yet there’s this passive obstacle that prevents him from completely connecting,” Darrel explains. “It felt right for the lyrical mood: like he’s there, but not quite seen.”
He adds, “As a fan of We Are imaginary, I already knew the band’s style and mood. I wanted the editing to echo the music’s rhythm. So while there’s this quirky storyline, there’s also a deep visual-musical sync, where shots pull attention to instrumental moments, almost like cues for the listeners not to miss certain sonic layers.”
While the song title hints at emotional captivity and attachment, the music video explores theme through an unconventional lens.
“Good songs invite multiple interpretations,” Ahmad says. “So we thought, what if Dracula, this eternal being, is just waiting around, wishing for someone to call? What if he’s just stuck in his own loop of romantic yearning and faded glory? It’s a fun, absurd premise that actually says a lot.”
