Exclusive Premiere: Benjamin Cartel, ‘Rockaway’

As Benjamin Cartel prepares to release his new full-length solo LP, Gothenburg -- the follow-up to the 2013 EP, Money & Love -- Diffuser is thrilled to premiere his latest music video for the beautiful track, "Rockaway"; you can check it out in the player above.

"Rockaway" is a pristine example of Cartel's musical ability -- both his talent at writing an instantly accessible song and building it on top of delicate-yet-sturdy musical arrangements. He says this particular track is all about looking back at childhood and “dreaming of simpler times.” He believes that desire to go back in time is natural to every human being: “It’s a song that is about wanting to go back to a place of my childhood summers and play on the beach like a little kid.”

That craving is beautifully captured in the visuals for the song. “In the video, I find myself literally chasing a woman who embodies a past summertime romance,” he explains. “At first I think I see her in the street, then dream of her in the subway, and then I discover she is on the same subway car as me. I follow her back to the place where we spent time together -- Rockaway Beach ... the question the video asks viewers is: What happens when you try to chase your past?”

Cartel says the he teamed up with Matt Clements to create the “Rockaway” music video. “I was the producer in charge of many of the logistical details ... and Matt was the director in charge of the camera work, editing and sound. Both of us wrote the story,” he tells us, “and we both worked on the final edit. I don’t think either of us knew how it would end when we started filming, and that’s the beauty of artistic endeavors.”

As for stepping in front of the camera, the New York City singer-songwriter admits that he loves acting. “I don’t know if it will win me an Oscar or an Emmy, but it’s always a lot of fun for me to dramatically tell the story of the songs,” he says. “The film nerd in me is having a field day when I make videos. Songwriting and videos are all about storytelling.”

You can stay up-to-date with everything happening in Cartel's world at his official website, and make sure to grab details on how you can be a part of the release of Gothenburg, set to hit the streets on July 14, at this location.