F  L  A  U  N  T

Love isn’t always what it seems. Rikas’ “Side by Side” is an intimate and affectionate glimpse into a relationship where the extent of the subjects’ union is never quite revealed, yet their connection is palpable. The latest single off from the German alt-pop quartet’s EP Short Stories, figures in love, lust, longing, and depicts the pure bliss of living in the moment with someone. 

"You can relate to the lyrics from various perspectives,” says Rikas’ guitarist and keyboardist Sascha Scherer. “Either you are missing someone who used to be in your life, which is the longing perspective, or you’re lucky that you have found that someone—the joyful perspective.”

Filmed using 16mm film, the visual story of “Side By Side” begins in Milan and follows two men trekking through the Italian countryside until they arrive in the centuries-old seaside town of Cinque Terre. 

Unhurried in its lo-fi pace, the pages delicately turn through the story, drifting around intimate moments of a specific time, places, and words—I found some one to believe in / I found a friend I can lean on / When I am with you its easy / When were out here its easy / Shifted grounds on ancient stone / I never want to be alone / I rest my heavy head tonight with you by my side. 

“Side by Side” is what it feels like to be smitten, connected, and exploring life together when you don’t think, or care that, anyone is watching. 

“It’s about the deep connection between two friends who spent their holiday together,” says Scherer. “There are these beautiful sceneries placed in the heart of Italy… the viewer follows that road trip fragmentally. Being soaked into the Italian way of living, it’s a rendition of the past summer and fleeing the crowded cities to a place where friends and lovers can be all by themselves.”

Releasing their debut album Showtime in 2019, and following up with single “Overthinking” in 2020, Short Stories are six new chapters of reflections for the band now.

For Rikas, made up of Scherer, bassist Sam Baisch, Chris Ronge, and drummer Ferdinand Hübner, who all share vocals—there’s something to visually translate with each of their Short Stories, from the Grecian modeled “Superstitious” and more mannequin-worthy synth-pop renderings of “Stereo."

“Side by Side,” evoked scenes from Luca Guadagnino's 2018 film Call Me By Your Name, and shifting from previous videos by the band, Rikas pulled themselves out of the focal point for the first time.

“It just felt right to develop a story and let the music be the soundtrack of the video,” says Baisch of “Side by Side,” the band’s favorite track off Short Stories. “For me it has an arthouse film character which I love."

Hübner adds, ”When we saw the video we were amazed because everything looks so fun. In some way, you almost expect that it could be a whole motion picture and that is the trailer for the movie.“