For all our Gen Z readers: before you listen to British electro-pop artist Little Boots' latest single, it's important to understand that there was an era before phones were as mobile as they are now. In fact, phones used to be tethered to a wall in what was commonly referred to as a "landline."
The second single off her forthcoming self-produced album, "Landline" sees Little Boots indulging in pure unadulterated disco nostalgia. Full of bright shimmery synths and bouncy basslines, Little Boots fondly reminisces about days spent holding up the family phone line and dancing to music with her boyfriend, drawing parallels to pandemic-era Zoom parties.
"I got thinking about this in lockdown, as music was still something that helped me feel close to friends even if we physically couldn't be together," Little Boots says. "Emotionally, you can still feel connected through a shared playlist or remembering an old track. That's one of music's superpowers and it remains true throughout my life, whether it's pressing play on a tape machine down the phone years ago, or dancing with my friends on Zoom through the pandemic to a favorite anthem."
The single arrives today alongside a music video full of vintage soft glow filters and classic period-accurate fashion. "We wanted to capture the nostalgic feeling of the song without being too literal," she explains. "The track has a real '70s disco feel, so I knew I wanted to capture that. I had been aware of the amazing Poodle & Blonde location house in Margate for a long time and had been dying to shoot something there."
Little Boots continues, "It all came together when stylist Twinks Burnett came on board and totally shared my vision for the looks: retro and glamorous with a sense of humor. I love how director Sam Taylor-Edwards shot on different formats, including VHS and spliced it all together to create a really unique mood."
Watch the music video for Little Boots' "Landline," and stream it, below.
Photo courtesy of Little Boots