By Will Mossa

Johnny Pe premiered a music video for his new single “White Chalk” on June 10. With a buttery electric guitar riff reminiscent of Daniel Caesar and a continuously lingering 808 bass line, the narrative-driven track radiates on the fragile balance of life and death. Featuring an unforgettable chorus filled with runs and harmonies, he still manages to make the verses equally as powerful. “Shells ricochet off the license plate, it’s the fact that we ain’t the same” cuts deep on any listener and continues to put the spotlight on injustice in America. The music video begins on a multiple screen of a vintage style interview which sets the tone for the whole track as it ends with a gun shot and police siren. The video jumps into an abstract visual following a white chalk body outline walking down the street. As the video progresses, the body morphs into symbols like doves, skulls, and coffins, all symbols of death which is an overtone of the track, while also encountering symbols of life such as flowers and hearts. Towards the ending of the video the heart explodes the body into falling through a void. With the video being simplistic with a plethora of symbols, the style allows the words to stick out even more. Literally a perfect balance as the video complements the music in such a way that neither distracts nor takes away from the either. Johnny Pe and his new single “White Chalk” will bring even more light to the issues at hand while also delivering an admirably skillful track.