Adore and Wesley Wang Team Up for ‘Feel It All Again’ Video, a.k.a. ‘Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank’

The elusive New York collective Adore, whose members deliberately keep their identities concealed, has unveiled their latest visual project. The group teamed up with director Wesley Wang to create the official music video for their track "Feel It All Again," released through Big Beat Records and Warner Records. This three-minute animated short, also subtitled "Violet and Marlowe Rob a Bank (soundtracked by Adore)," premiered last week at the Tribeca Festival as part of an animated shorts program curated by Whoopi Goldberg. Notably, the announcement emphasized that the project was "proudly made without the use of AI," a deliberate choice amid growing industry debates about artificial intelligence's role in creative fields. This stance reflects a broader pushback from some artists who argue that AI tools risk homogenizing artistic expression, a concern echoed by figures like filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who has warned that AI could "devalue the human touch" in storytelling.

The music video marks the first release from Wang's newly established company, Wesley Wang Media. At just 22 years old, the filmmaker launched this venture after his short film "Nothing Except Everything" went viral on YouTube, leading Sony to acquire the rights with Darren Aronofsky—renowned for directing "Black Swan" and "Requiem for a Dream"—attached to produce a feature-length adaptation. Wang's rapid rise mirrors the trajectories of other young directors who leveraged online platforms to break into Hollywood, such as Boots Riley or the Daniels. In a joint statement, Adore explained that the collaboration began with a cold DM, with Wang initially proposing "something with bunnies and carrots." After reviewing his 2D animatic storyboard, the band realized he envisioned a fusion of "Watership Down meets The Matrix." They added: "With this song, we were trying to capture the general sense of loss we feel in the world right now. Wesley picked up on the intensity of that emotion and matched it. This film is about right now. The consolidation of money and power. They've stolen all the carrots and we want them back." This thematic focus on inequality and resistance taps into ongoing cultural conversations about wealth concentration, which has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic. For context, a 2023 Oxfam report revealed that the richest 1% captured nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020, while 1.7 billion workers live in countries where inflation is outpacing wages.

Wang elaborated on the partnership, noting that a friend introduced him to Adore's music, and he was immediately captivated. "But what really made me want to work with this band was our initial call after I reached out," he said. "We talked about how we each think about our respective crafts, and I was just so impressed by their passion for art and their willingness to creatively jam with a random director who reached out over Instagram. It was clear from the start that we shared similar sensibilities and long-term visions." He specifically highlighted the track's "melody, the meaty vocals, and the pulsating bass" as elements that convinced him they had something special. "I was almost in disbelief that something that good had just landed in my lap, so making this film from then on was a no-brainer." Music critics have noted that the song's driving rhythm and layered production evoke comparisons to acts like LCD Soundsystem and The xx, blending indie rock with electronic textures. This sonic palette aligns with Adore's reputation for creating music that feels both urgent and introspective, a balance that has drawn comparisons to early work by bands like The National or Foals.

The musicians behind Adore have previously secured placements in major television series such as "Euphoria," "Gossip Girl," and "Insecure," along with advertising campaigns for luxury brands like YSL, Estée Lauder, and Coca-Cola. Their project launched in 2023 with the single "Dancing While the World Burns," whose music video introduced the fictional city of NYC2, built atop the submerged ruins of the original New York. This dystopian visual narrative aligns with the band's broader thematic focus on societal decay and resilience. Industry observers note that Adore's ability to blend anonymity with high-profile collaborations signals a strategic approach to building mystique in an oversaturated market. By maintaining secrecy around their identities, the collective taps into a tradition of masked or anonymous artists—from Daft Punk to Gorillaz—that allows the music and visuals to take center stage without the distraction of celebrity culture. This approach has proven effective in an era where streaming platforms and social media often prioritize personality over artistry, as seen with acts like Sia or the mysterious electronic duo The Blaze, who similarly let their work speak for itself.