NORTH ADAMS — The contemporary band Son Lux, along with director Alex Cook, premiered their first video artwork, “Out Into Us (Slow Down),” last weekend at Mass MoCA. The installation blends haunting visual storytelling with Son Lux’s distinctive atmospheric soundscapes, offering a slow-moving, metaphorical portrayal of an encroaching crisis.
Set in a weathered farmhouse against a backdrop of plains shrouded in expanding black fog, the video centers on a multigenerational family—two young girls, their mother, and an elderly man—as they confront an ominous, suffocating presence infiltrating their home. The mood conveys resignation and a quiet acceptance of an inexorable threat. The imagery invites multiple interpretations, touching on contemporary anxieties such as war, economic instability, political turmoil, or the existential risks posed by advancing technologies. However, the creators have not specified a singular meaning, leaving the experience open to personal reflection.
Son Lux—comprising frontman Ryan Lott, guitarist Rafiq Bhatia, and drummer Ian Chang—couples the installation’s visual narrative with their signature blend of synth-heavy compositions and dynamic live drumming. Their sound creates immersive environments that complement the film’s tone without overt exposition. In a 90-minute live performance at Mass MoCA’s black box theater coinciding with the installation’s opening, the band demonstrated their ability to evoke complex emotional landscapes, described by some as “post-rock,” though their style resists easy categorization.
The collaboration represents a long-term project, as Son Lux has maintained a relationship with Mass MoCA since 2009 and has a notable history in film soundtracks. Their credits include scores for major motion pictures such as “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022) and “Thunderbolts” (2025), with another score forthcoming for “My Mother My Mother My Mother,” starring Mahershala Ali.
“Out Into Us (Slow Down)” extends their exploration into multimedia artistry by intertwining image and sound to deepen the experience of both. The film’s narrative traces the family’s growing desperation as ash and dust fill their surroundings, culminating in a poignant moment where surrender is equated with death. The youngest daughter’s determined confrontation with the encroaching darkness suggests resilience as the only means of escape.
The installation will be on view at Mass MoCA through Oct. 21, located at 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams. For further information, the museum can be contacted at 413-662-2111 or via massmoca.org.