Earlier this year, Gulfer followed up their 2020 self-titled album with a split alongside the band Charmer, and today they’re keeping things going with a one-off single titled “Neighbours.” The song’s main framework is still the Montréal rockers’ fiddling guitars. Its inspiration is a complicated, personal connection to vocalist Vincent Ford—the chaotic weave of metal strings mirroring the inner turmoil reflected in the lyrics.
The song, specifically, is the result of Ford trying to place himself in the shoes of a family member recently diagnosed with schizophrenia, but being unaware of the details of their condition for years. From the beginning, there’s an instinct that something is wrong. “Inside I feel so strange my neighbors tapping on the windows,” Ford sings. Another line expresses how one’s mind becomes a place of haunting. “They evoke all of these ghosts trapped on the other side / They tell stories of hell what’s the matter with me.” The track mimics the peaks and valleys of angry waves, captivating but hard to stay afloat amongst.
The new track comes with a video that’s a little bit more light-hearted. There’s mini golf, some sword fighting, and a woman juggling. Watch it below.
