The Weeknd heralds his new album Dawn FM with a spectacular and nightmarish promo from Matilda Finn. The video for Gasoline is dripping in Finn's harrowing, hyperreal aesthetic, and follows an elderly version of the artist, who crashes his car into a stop sign and descends into a Hellish realm. He regains consciousness in a crowded room, where sinful beings are grappling for whatever physical pleasures they can acquire - sex, drugs, violence... it's all on the cards in this place. The crowd begin to show their true colours, as their faces distort into monstrous forms, and The Weeknd has a face-off with a younger version of himself, ending in another death. This is an enigmatic expression of existential despair in Matilda Finn's signature style, and it's outstanding work. The video touches upon life, death and addiction, and does so with sublime style - and lots of creepy crawlies.
Rob Ulitski - 24th Jan 2022