Man Man — Cryptoad

JUL 01 2024 · 12:00

Man Man — Cryptoad (2024) Director: Dan Scofield Era: Mid-2020s Indie Art-Rock Revival (2024) - Lo-fi cinematic aesthetic aligned with post-pandemic introspective indie; Sub Pop-era experimental rock confronting themes of alienation and longing High curatorial value as a document of Man Man's mature artistic phase, marking a deliberate aesthetic pivot toward emotional restraint and cinematic intimacy. The video is notable for being directed by a former band member, creating a rare insider visual document. Its technical understated-ness—low brightness, static motion, naturalistic light—stands in deliberate contrast to the band's historically chaotic, maximalist live persona, making it a valuable artifact for tracing the band's two-decade arc. Context: Released June 7, 2024 alongside Man Man's album 'Carrot on Strings' (Sub Pop), 'Cryptoad' emerges from a period of renewed creative confidence for frontman Honus Honus (Ryan Kattner), who spent the years between albums composing for film and television. The song is described by the Sub Pop press materials as a 'cheeky tableau' and Kattner's personal favorite on the record. The video's nocturnal road-trip imagery evokes a broader 2020s indie video tradition of confessional, low-budget realism—low on spectacle, high on emotional exposure. The choice of a former band member as director deepens the insider-art ethos that has defined Man Man across two decades, rooted in the Philadelphia DIY underground and now operating from Los Angeles. Director notes: The 'Cryptoad' video was confirmed as directed by former Man Man member Dan Scofield in Sub Pop Records' official release announcement dated June 7, 2024. The video depicts a nocturnal car-journey narrative matching the song's themes of displacement and longing, culminating in an emotionally raw final shot. The insider directorial relationship between Scofield and the band lends the video an intimate, unfussy visual grammar consistent with the song's self-described 'cheeky tableau' quality. The video was released the same day as the album 'Carrot on Strings' (Sub Pop, June 7, 2024).