It hasn’t been very long since alternative rocker Niko Burciaga began performing under the name Someplace, Somewhere, an alias marked by grief-stricken songs and introspective laments. Rather than drawing inspiration from various musical talents, Burciaga is drawing from horror movies for his newest release, “couch surfer.” Alongside a video conceptualized and directed by the singer, and shot by Affernie Michel, the track uses failed relationships as a catalyst for digging deep into the inception of anxiety and looming danger.
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Burciaga’s skeletal strings in his guitar set the stage for what’s clearly a personal song for him. Speaking directly to someone who is always on the move and without the time to settle, his angst-driven vocals, reminiscent of 2000s emo rock, question their lifestyle before spiraling into questions about himself. On the production front, the simple instrumental drifts along, even when the chorus shows bursts of energy and passion reeling from emotional notes that make the music relatable.
At first, showing Burciaga performing alone in a forest, the visuals expand what’s discussed on “couch surfer” and where he stands as an artist. The scene is equal parts intimate and isolating, where the absence of color besides the bright cherry red phone in the beginning. Anxiety soon starts to take over, manifested through a pitch-black demon akin to the monsters from The Village, which sneaks up from behind the towering trees. Emitting a blinding white light, the slowed shutter speed makes matters increasingly disoriented, much like the song’s central message.
But unlike the movies behind the song’s video, Burciaga has little interest in scares. “I think anyone who struggles with anxiety can relate to the feeling of sometimes being controlled by it,” he said about the song’s thought process. “My goal is to inspire those who may struggle with anxiety to create something that means something to you because that could be the fuel that gets you out of a dark place.” Simply by showing what being in a dark place does to someone, he’s offering a mirror for people who’ve gone through similar experiences and emotions to see they’re not alone. And when an artist’s foundation is universal, talent naturally comes to the surface.
Words: David Sosa
“couch surfer” by Someplace, Somewhere is out on all streaming services. For more on his new music, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
