Synopsis
Husbands' "You, Me, Cellphones" turns synchronized swimming into a bright, surreal pop spectacle. Swimmers perform tightly coordinated routines in and around a pool, with the editing matching their gestures, dives, formations, and splashes to the song's buoyant rhythm. The polished athleticism contrasts with lyrics about being alone while constantly connected by a phone. Rather than following a conventional storyline, the video builds its playful visual idea through repetition, symmetry, water, and increasingly elaborate aquatic movement.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released in 2013 alongside Husbands' self-titled debut EP, which appeared through the band's Microphone Recordings outlet.
- Husbands is a Marseille trio made up of Mathieu Hocine, Simon Henner, and Mathieu Poulain. The members were already active in other projects, including Kid Francescoli, French 79, Nasser, and Oh! Tiger Mountain.
- Synchronized swimming is the video's defining visual device. Contemporary film and swimming publications highlighted the unusual pairing of aquatic choreography with an upbeat electronic-pop track.
- The song's central idea is the tension between constant communication and emotional isolation. The swimmers' precise teamwork gives the video a playful surface while echoing the song's repeated references to being alone on the phone.
- "You, Me, Cellphones" later appeared in the first episode of the Netflix series "13 Reasons Why," where it plays during a house-party scene. That placement introduced the track to a new audience several years after the original video appeared.
- The song was also included on Husbands' self-titled full-length release, expanding its life beyond the original EP.