The phrase “Stranger Danger” is known to children (and former children) throughout America, a mnenomic device meant to remind kids to stay away from people they don’t know. But for Minneapolis band Enemy Planes, “Stranger Danger” is the name of a tempestuous and throbbing track off Beta Lowdown, the group’s most recent album that’s been in heavy rotation around The A.V. Club office. Musically, it sounds like a 3 a.m. arthouse party, where the dance floor is starting to transform into something a little weirder and darker. But the video takes an already unsettling track and doubles down on the tense, eerie vibe. Explains singer Casey Call, “This song really just explores the moment of attraction that can occur between complete strangers and challenges the notion of resisting that primal instinct. With the video I really wanted to create something that felt simultaneously unnerving and arousing. So I enlisted the help of body paint artist Emily Svec, rounded up some attractive strangers, and we all took our clothes off and shot a video.”
Maybe it’s just the eyeballs painted on to the lips, but, mission accomplished. As it progresses, things go from odd to jarring, as things start moving in and out of the eyeball-mouths, and by the time the camera pulls back to reveal the peoples’ actual eyes, well…see for yourself. The group is heading back out on the road for a few weeks starting today—find out whether Enemy Planes is bringing their striking live act to your town on the band’s site. Who knows, maybe seeing them live will even help to shake the haunting images below from your mind.