By Nicole Villeneuve

Believe it or not, music videos still exist. Sound Tracks trolls the internet to find the best and the worst of local artists’ new singles and the good, bad, or otherwise noteworthy visuals that accompany them.

It may be at the other end of the budget spectrum as compared to our very first Sound Tracks–featured video, but the first video from Toronto’s Diamond Rings is possibly even more intriguing. Just watch. Over and over and over.
Directed by local music filmsmith Colin Medley, “All Yr Songs” is an homage to early ’90s hip hop videos (and Sinead O’Connor and maybe even Max Headroom?), and was made on a green screen in Medley’s living room and in various locales surrounding his apartment. And who is the mysterious Mr. Rings? Strip him of the eyeshadow and sweet, slinky choreography, and you’ve got local art-punks The D’Urbervilles‘ frontman, John O’Regan. His solo side project is decidedly poppier, and live performances around the city have displayed a folky sweetness that the odd acoustic guitar strum in this synthed-out drum-machine pop gem only briefly hints at.
It’s neon and purposefully lo-fi and ironic and all the things we’re supposed to be so over, right? So why is this video so subversively hypnotizing? Addictive song aside, our bet is on how killer O’Regan looks in that flat brim and Sonics jersey. That, or his equal sincerity and suppressed giggles.
“All Yr Songs” is available on a new split 7″ with Kingston’s electro-folk duo PS I Love You through Hypelighter. Diamond Rings plays at the Gladstone with Katie Sketch, Gentlemen Reg, and Casey Mejica (Ohbijou) on Wednesday, August 19. The video will also be screened. And you will dance.