Tapping into the synth-wave movement with strokes of modern punk, is indie-rock band Saint Mars with their latest single “Ocean Blues”. With layers of guitar riffs and soaring vocals, Saint Mars enlists young American prodigy Tryzdin for this deeply emotive hit.

The video released alongside the tune addresses the effects of bullying, as it follows a young boy tormented by a dark shadow. Throughout the video, the shadow continues to get worse as it leaves marks on the young boy and continues to terrorise him at every stage. Finding solace in his artwork, the young boy is then seen later on in life still reeling from the effects this shadow had on his childhood, but has managed to find comfort in the arms of another that went through the same situation. Leaving the viewer with one simple message: there is light beyond the darkness. The meaningful video highlights the struggle and effects bullying can have on people, and how it can follow you throughout life.

Known for their strong anti-bullying stance, “Ocean Blues” was inspired by a documentary on a French schoolboy whose bullying resulted in suicide. Band member Marc Darcange spoke on the importance of the topic and the meaning behind the single stating: “Ocean Blues’ is the first song I wrote about bullying and it was a turning point for me… To be honest, I never decided to write about bullying. The melody, idea of the song, the story behind it came to me naturally, spontaneously: the story of a young boy bullied because of his overweight, called “Piggy the Whale” by his classmates and ending up turning into a real whale… I think the video develops this strong image further: the young boy gets more and more stigmata through the bullying, to the point he becomes what other people say he is; if they constantly call you an idiot, you will become that idiot. In psychology, this is called the Pygmalion effect.”
Check out the poignant tune below….