sukekiyo’s stunning “Valentina” music video showcases updated recording

On July 5, sukekiyo unveiled the music video for Valentina from their forthcoming compilation Ius Cerebri / Sinistro Cerebrum, due out on July 24. Originally released as a demo cassette in 2021, Valentina has been elevated with a fuller, richer sound for 2024.

This new version, the song’s first official release appears in the Ius Cerebri segment of their upcoming audiovisual collection. The limited edition of Ius Cerebri / Sinistro Cerebrum includes both CDs and also includes a Blu-ray featuring the Valentina music video.

The video showcases opulent textures and shimmering details, perfectly capturing sukekiyo’s arthouse style. The members wear luxurious, gender-fluid fashions, with vocalist Kyo standing out in an all-white tulle gown exuding femininity. The song’s lyrics, expressing yearning, pleading, and heartbreak, seem written from a feminine perspective.

The song’s narrator embodies both vulnerability and strength, conveyed through powdery synths and strings, backed by rigid, funky basslines and echoing drum effects. This dichotomy evokes the essence of Showa era dancehall while maintaining sukekiyo’s distinctive rock style, honed over their 10-year career. These elements of gender ambiguity, retro inspiration, and the ever-shifting mix of romance, darkness, and eroticism give sukekiyo its unique flavor.

This August, sukekiyo tours Japan in their upcoming tour Unaji ni Ase.

sukekiyo, from left to right: guitarist utA, drummer MIKA, vocalist Kyo, bassist YUCHI, guitarist and pianist TAKUMI.