Raquel Dalarossa
Janing G LTE is the new collaborative project between George Langford (of the band Javelin) and Jen Goma (of Showtime Goma and A Sunny Day in Glasgow). Their first release together comes at the perfect time—just as the last heatwaves of summer wash away and Halloween season falls upon us.
The video for “Laff it Off” opens with an ominous voiceover saying “I will love you until I die,” setting an unexpected tone. The song itself is an upbeat pop R&B jam that’s undeniably catchy, drawing heavily from the early ‘00s for a slightly retro feel. With a danceable beat, twinkly effects, and Goma’s sultry soprano, it gives off a vibe that lands squarely between Janet Jackson and Ashanti. The sound, however, belies the video’s rather grim visual storyline.
We watch a few blissful scenes between a couple, with a grainy effect signaling that this is flashback material. When the grain fades away, we see the guy pensively laying down flowers by a tombstone as he recalls those happy moments. The shots cut between this imagery and a translucent Jen dancing around the cemetery—a ghost who eventually offers her lover an axe and then a knife, as she breathily sings “I love you / Why can’t we have it all?” Closeups of each of their mouths frame bright red blood pouring out from behind their teeth and lips like a scene from the new It remake.
You could say it’s got a happy ending—they end up together, two faint apparitions walking away hand in hand. Horror fans will appreciate the subtly kitschy approach, but the song will no doubt appeal to everyone across the spectrum of taste.
Catch Jen Goma live at these upcoming shows:
10/12 Jen Goma DJ set at Night of Joy (Brooklyn, NY)
10/25 Showtime Goma on The Special Without Brett Davis