Even though You Win !!! has only been our radar for about seven months, the self-described “trip-hop/dark pop” duo—composed of vocalist Amanda Huff and producer William Gardiner (who releases music under the moniker of This Random Machine)—has quickly become a project to keep an eye on.
In addition to both of the singles they’ve released to this point being nothing short of outstanding, You Win !!! has also shown a knack for going the extra mile in terms of their visual pairing for those singles. Last year’s video for “Shrap.nel” featured some well-suited claymation and stop animation to fit the song’s cold and atmospheric sound. Today, the duo’s second single is getting an even more ambitious visual accompaniment.
The video for “Painmonger”—a dreary and deceivingly dance-y single the project released last month—finds You Win !!! and director Brendan Thain Jones addressing the song’s themes of pain and the social implications of trauma by showcasing wrestlers engaged in a brutal match. Filmed at Dropout Fight Club (a soon-to-be-opened Riverwest boxing gym), the video shows wrestlers Zach Hendrix and Kurt Krueger doing battle in the ring as a referee (played by Milwaukee artist Alex Scott) attempts to keep some order in the match. Between blows, some unruly onlookers cheer on the punishment and You Win !!! treats violence-averse viewers to some performance footage. Do yourself a favor and watch You Win !!!’s “Painmonger” music video below.