Today, Paul Prier drops his compelling new video trilogy titled “Panic Peaks,” a captivating synthesis of the tracks “Dust,” “Ease It,” and “The Rush.” Speaking about the film, Paul explains: “PANIC PEAKS TRILOGY is a short film directed by Marc Thomas, born from a close collaboration between us. From the start, I shared an idea that had been circling in my mind for years: the image of a man sealed in a bubble. A place of safety, of denial, of chosen disconnection — as if avoiding the outside world had become second nature.”
Paul Prier Unveils Ambitious Video Trilogy “Panic Peaks”
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“I had long been haunted by an old photograph from the early 1900s. It shows a woman lying on a bed, playing piano through a suspended mechanical rig. To me, it captures a quiet fantasy: remaining reclined in a protective shell while still engaging with the world through art, intimacy, and creation. The dream of not having to get up to participate.
That’s when Marc suggested the hyperbaric capsule. The symbol was perfect: clinical, absurd, strangely beautiful. And then came Alice Proux, whose work shaped everything. In just a few days, she built a fictional capsule and embedded into it elements from music production. What she created wasn’t just a prop — it became the film’s core presence. A character in its own right.
The title Panic Peaks points directly to the psychology of the character — someone who builds an elaborate, almost ridiculous device to shield himself from panic. The capsule becomes a refuge, a desperate yet calculated response to fear.
Each part of the trilogy is guided by a song. The first, Dust, is about allergy, both literal and metaphorical. The idea of sealing oneself away from every particle, every speck, every outside threat felt completely aligned. The second, Ease It, is a quiet ballad that accompanies a moment of intimacy, made impossible by the barrier of glass. A tenderness held at a distance. The third track, The Rush, dives into full panic. It scores a forest scene where the character suffers a brutal food reaction. The rush here is layered: a blood rush, an emotional rush, a spiral into anxiety.
Panic Peaks Trilogy is about isolation, control, hypochondria, and the strange comfort of remaining in your own bubble. To shield yourself from the world. Or simply postpone your return to it.”
In a stroke of beautiful coincidence, this track flowed out almost instinctively, completed in a mere half-hour — a spontaneous release of pent-up creativity. An added twist? It launches during a time when Prier finds himself in the throes of his extreme rush; he’s wrapping up the final touches on his debut album while simultaneously composing the original score for “Ollie,” a contemporary dance piece that intertwines ballet with the exhilarating world of skateboarding.
Characterised as an unconventional musician, Prier is a sonic tightrope walker, masterfully navigating the fine line between technical sophistication and accessibility. He cradles an artistic vision that melds intricate, sophisticated arrangements with tracks that resonate with listeners, compelling them to hit replay without pretentiousness.
photo by Emma PanchoTime seems irrelevant to this artist, who is firmly anchored in the present yet wistfully aware of a past he never experienced. His music could easily be mistaken for a forgotten classic from the ‘80s, reminiscent of the golden studio age, where legends like Herbie Hancock or Quincy Jones were mere walls away. In 2024, Prier crafts his soundscape devoid of current trends, artfully merging contemporary elements with nostalgic influences.
Complex and self-aware, Paul embraces his contradictions with a wink. His anxieties manifest not as burdens but are cloaked in irony, making his neuroses oddly endearing. This self-deprecation imbues him with a distinctive aura, striking a balance between tortured and comical that reverberates through his compositions. While his relentless quest for perfection can lead to paralysis in the face of decisions, it also makes him a meticulous creator. For Paul, the act of choosing is akin to suffering; he longs to explore every avenue without the closure that decisions entail.
Every track he produces is a delicate balancing act, exploring themes both personal and universal — from the minutiae of everyday obsessions to profound existential dilemmas. Each title carries an almost therapeutic suggestion: “Ease It” encourages a calming of anxiety, “Dust” evokes the feeling of a metaphorical allergy, while “Back Pain” draws inspiration from the musings of a physiotherapist, playfully nodding to his journey towards wellness. Approaching serious subjects with lightness, Prier crafts a uniquely relatable sound, transforming weighty themes into infectious pop melodies.
