Just weeks after breaking his hiatus with new single “Lung,” Aussie teen Tim Bettinson, otherwise known as Vancouver Sleep Clinic, is back with another new slice of ethereal indie-folk, “Killing Me to Love You.”
The video follows a young woman as she walks towards an unknown destination balancing on thin air only to end up letting go and falling into a shallow pool. There are sweeping cutaways of what looks like a canyon, an ocean as well as scenic marshland. It’s an aesthetic to accompany a beautiful melody about a relationship with a not so picturesque narrative.
In between the euphoric chiming and the compelling drum beat there’s a story being told about a failing relationship. Bettinson opens the tune by professing, “Your body is broken, but you’re trying to fight this, your arms are weary but you’re trying to like this.” This implies that perhaps the participating member in this relationship is not willing to put any effort into keeping the relationship afloat and so, as the imagery in the video suggests, there is a fall that must then take place. The chorus is a heartbreaking confession that their love is a one sided battle, “I’m fighting for you, I’m hiding for you, but it’s killing me to love you.” These words, connected with the imagery, cut deep as a look of complacence and acceptance washes over the young woman’s face as she takes the plunge.
The two singles come in the wake of speculation that a Vancouver Sleep Clinic debut album is definitely on the way.
