A song can bring a relationship back as easily as a smell or a glance can awaken a memory. In “Marlboro 27’s,” D’Arcy draws on that reaction to explore the tension between processing a past relationship and beginning to develop feelings for someone new.
Released back in September, “Marlboro 27’s” pairs a steady synth pulse with contemporary alternative-pop textures while its sound nods to ’80s synth-pop. D’Arcy’s relaxed, melodic vocal keeps the verses intimate, even as the groove gives the track a late-night, danceable feel. That contrast carries into the lyrics, which move from memories of a past relationship toward the uncertainty of a new crush.
The newly released video, directed by Audrey Cicerello, builds a parallel between quitting smoking and leaving a relationship. It shows how the urge to smoke can return even after someone has decided to quit, echoing the pull of a relationship they are trying to leave. That idea takes shape in scenes that alternate between a retro motel room and a gas station at night.
The warm bedside lamp gives the motel room an amber glow, while the gas station’s blue fluorescent lights make the scenes outside feel colder. Grainy images and quick cuts shift between these spaces without making it clear what belongs to the present and what is a memory.
Alexia Bosch plays the protagonist’s former partner, who reappears throughout the video. The grainy imagery and quick cuts give her an almost dreamlike quality, as if she belongs to the past rather than the present. This makes the cigarette metaphor all the more compelling. Just as someone trying to quit smoking might still feel the urge to reach for a cigarette, the protagonist finds herself drawn back to the memory of a relationship she has yet to leave behind.
VIDEO CREDITS
Director: Audrey Cicerello
Talent: Alexia Bosch
Director of Photography: Harrison Bliss
Producer: Sydney Easton
Editor: Jules Saggio
Hair and Makeup: Jacob Vega
1st AC: Sam Cooper
Gaffer: Truman Hatfield
1st AD: Charlie Berz
MUSIC CREDITS
Produced by Chase Jackson and Zach Sorgen
Written by D’Arcy, Zach Sorgen, and Chase Jackson
Mixed and mastered by Chase Jackson
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