Synopsis
A man prepares an intimate late-night dinner for a woman in a stylish home, but the relaxed date gradually takes on an unsettling tone. Small details suggest that something is wrong: a knife block receives unusual attention, the woman moves around the house with suspicious familiarity, and unexplained sounds interrupt the evening. When an unexpected former partner arrives, the encounter turns into a tense confrontation. The video unfolds like a compact thriller, using the song as an ominous backdrop rather than a conventional performance setting.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released in 2014 for "Sleepless," featuring vocalist The High.
- Its structure deliberately blurs the line between music video and short film. The song functions largely as an atmospheric soundtrack while the narrative develops at its own pace.
- The concept grew from a desire to let scenes retain their natural rhythm instead of cutting every shot to the beat. The filmmakers described this approach as a reaction to the usual pressure to edit music videos around the song's tempo.
- Suspense was built through pacing, carefully placed visual details, silence, room tone, and subtle sound effects. Sound design was treated as a major storytelling element rather than a finishing touch.
- The production was handled by Mad Ruk Entertainment, with post-production involving Married to Giants, The Eggplant Collective, and Alter Ego.
- The cast includes Aaron Abrams, Anna Hopkins, and Jenny Raven.
- The video's dark interpretation of a song associated with lost love, sadness, and betrayal helped give "Sleepless" a more cinematic and unsettling identity than a typical EDM promotional clip.
- A director's cut was also circulated, emphasizing the video's short-film qualities and extended suspense.