There are three types of music videos an artist can make:

1) Performance Driven
2) Conceptual Story
3) Combination of both

For Tiësto & KSHMR’s new joint track “Secrets (feat. Vassy), they’ve chosen to go with option #2. So, if you’re looking for any cameos from the artists, you will be disappointed.

You won’t be disappointed by the song, though. “Secrets” starts off with some beautiful piano and synth melodies overlapping each other. The rest of the track features great vocals from Vassy and a driving beat that is pure dance floor bliss. This is the type of track you would expect from these artists working together, and it does not disappoint.

The video, however... well, is a bit disappointing. It starts off with two shadowy figures breaking into a Japanese building (which may actually be American, due to the U.S. Mail containers shown later in the video). The two then turn on the lights, take off their masks to reveal a male and a female who are most likely a couple, and then they start looking around to see that the building is filled with old arcade machines (it’s unclear if it’s an actual arcade or just a warehouse, since everything inside looks like it’s in storage). They then solder some circuit boards, and then put them into their necks, which allows them to shoot laser guns and ride stationary motorcycles (with laser streaming past them). The boyfriend then decides to rob the safe (why is there money there if it’s seemingly abandoned?), the girlfriend gets disgusted by this unwarranted act, hits the alarm, and the cops show up to arrest the male. But, no... it turns out it was all a VR simulation (I’m pretty sure it’s an Oculus Rift the boyfriend is wearing), and he’s actually home in bed, while his girlfriend is sleeping.

As I’m watching this video I’m thinking “Ok, this part is influenced by “Tron,” this part by “Johnny Mnemonic,” and this part by “Strange Days” (all very good movies), but I couldn’t figure out what any of it meant in terms of artistic vision. It just seemed like someone said “Hey, I found this cool spot to shoot a video, and I got cool laser special effects I’d like to try out. None of it has to make sense. LET’S DO THIS!” And at the end of the day, I know it’s all about the music (which, like I said, is quite good), and there have been much worse music videos unleashed upon us. But I do find myself disliking the video the more I think about it, and it affects how I feel about the track, since they now go hand-in-hand in my mind (and not in a VR situation). In the end, I’m just gonna unplug myself from the whole thing.

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