Music videos are seldom taken as serious forms of art, especially in Nepal, but every now and then there are ones that pop up that fearlessly challenge that misguided belief—in the form of music videos that you don’t just watch, but experience. If we take Bon Iver’s Holocene, for instance, where we follow a young boy’s journey through the Vik in Iceland, it is a subtle reminder of how something significant can be found in our existence which is insignificant compared to the larger schemes of the universe. That music video is a striking example of how visuals can elevate the music they’re made for. 

One such music video is that of Winter Aid’s Night is an Ocean. If there were a way to describe the Ireland-based artist Winter Aid’s music as something more than just indie or folk, it would perhaps be closest to a specific genre at the intersection of folksy poetry and cinematic melancholia. The lyrics are human to their core; expressing broken desires and unrestrained longings. Some of them feel like they were taken from a long-awaited conversation between two lovers, one that we cannot possibly understand. This is exactly the intention that can be seen in Winter Aid’s latest music video for Night is an Ocean, produced entirely by the Nepali creative hub that is Jazz Productions. 

Directed by Aneel Neupane, it is thematically so consistent with the video for Winter Aid’s previous release The Wisp Sings that it seems like a perfectly natural continuation of the same chapter. Incidentally, Aneel had previously used that song in his own work, discovery of which is what led Winter Aid to offer him to make this video. For Night is an Ocean, he said that their goal in mind was to return to the feel of the previous video as much as possible. With beautifully mellow cinematography and choice of colours, this music video definitely sets a benchmark for productions made in Nepal. The team has also maintained the integrity of the vision of the vast landscapes of Ireland that the artist had in mind. In search of a view in Nepal that could reflect and complement this vision as well as the music, the team trekked their way to the striking forests and surreal lakes of Gosaikunda. Their biggest inspiration, apparently, came from the location of the music video itself.

Shot entirely in Gosaikunda, the scene that unfolds before us is cold, yet welcoming—almost like the bittersweet sadness it portrays. As we follow the journey of a man through the breathtaking beauty of the alpine oligotrophic lake circuit, we find him haunted by the sights of his lover he no longer has. Himself, fully clad in layers, her in a summery blue dress, bare feet in the moss—it is as if his last memories of her are a few seasons late. His search and longing for her can also be seen translated into a literal visual of him looking around for her through his camera’s viewfinder. This search is not frantic, though. It is persistent, and it gives a sense of an accepted lonely calm. As the video progresses, we suspect that, perhaps, what he is searching for is not her at all, but a sense of closure.

There is a certain quality to both Winter Aid videos that fills us with both joy and sadness at the same time. A lone protagonist, vast and secluded landscapes, dreamlike sights, and the desperate search for a companion more so than the actual presence of one, are all that give both Winter Aid videos a lingering sense of isolation, even in their happier moments. In Night is an Ocean, we find the protagonist climbing uphill towards the lake, alone, but visited frequently by the sights of his lover, until he finally leaves their memento behind. The journey is both liberating and melancholic. 

As the lyrics unfold, to me, this music video feels like an unintended intrusion into the lives of two people who have had their share of love and lows, promises and compromises, togetherness and solitude. The meaning of the words and visuals used aren’t glaring at you, sticking true to its fellow indie music and videos, but what I saw in it was bittersweet remembrance, closure and a beautiful goodbye. 

All in all, condescension unintended, we rarely come across Nepali music video productions that do justice to the songs. It is refreshing to find a home-brewed video that truly utilises the scenic landscapes that our country has to offer that aren’t in Chobhar. Our mystical forests full of moss-covered trees, imposing rocks, and lakes in different shades of viridian deserve to be shown, and be seen, more often on screen. And for this, if nothing else, Night is an Ocean is an instant standard that is sure to make you wonder if this is really a Nepali-made music video.