Passion Pit Singer ‘Lifted Up’ by Crowd in New Video
Passion Pit mastermind Michael Angelakos finds clarity in the thick of a raving crowd in the new video for “Lifted Up (1985),” the first single off the synth-pop outfit’s forthcoming LP, Kindred.
The clip opens with an overhead camera moving downwards, trying to keep Angelakos in frame as he’s jostled by a horde of revelers. Angelakos initially looks weary and annoyed amidst the ceaseless motion and flashing lights, but as the track’s bombastic chorus hits, his mood starts to shift.
As the party amps up, Angelakos gamely accepts an LED mouthpiece, which flashes brilliantly as he sings the next verse. After the piece falls out, Angelakos forces an awkward, charming grin as he fails to keep it from hitting the ground. When the song hits its subdued bridge, Angelakos sings and dances alone, surrounded by the motionless crowd — though he’s joined by everyone as “Lifted Up” launches into its beatific finale.
“Lifted Up (1985)” arrived about two months after Angelakos posted a handful of new songs to his personal SoundCloud, though none of those tracks will appear on Kindred. The new LP, which follows up 2012’s Gossamer, is scheduled for release on April 21st.
Prior to the Kindred announcement, Angelakos, who suffers from bipolar disorder, appeared in a PSA designed to foster an open dialogue about mental health. Angelakos spoke about his struggles with the disorder and how being honest about his condition helped him confront it. “Once I started really just accepting my mental condition, it stung for a little bit and then everything improved,” he said in the clip, which was produced by actress Glen Close’s nonprofit, Bring Change 2 Mind, in conjunction with Project 375.