The Parlotones release cinematic music video for “Antidote”

The Parlotones released “Antidote” as a single from their studio album China, along with a cinematic music video based on the myth of the Sirens.

The band turned 20 in 2018, and China marked the anniversary. It came out in South Africa on 20 July 2018. The international release followed on 28 June 2019, and that later push is when “Antidote” became a single and got its video. The album was recorded over four months at High Seas Studios in Johannesburg. Before recording started, lead singer Kahn Morbee spent time in England working with well-known songwriters to set the direction of the album.

China was produced by Jacques du Plessis and the band, with additional production by Rob Davidson. It was the first Parlotones album to feature Davidson as a full member. He had been a touring keyboardist before he joined full-time in 2017.

Davidson wrote “Antidote”, which opens the album. The song deals with dark themes but sounds upbeat, with an 80s feel. Davidson explained how he wrote and produced it: “The song tackles the theme of ‘last chances’ and admitting fault in one’s self. It pleads for one more shot at being the person the other one deserves by changing their selfish ways and growing as a person. Originally written as a piano ballad, it took on an 80’s synth pop vibe reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys/Depeche Mode to create a more upbeat song but with a darker undertone. It asks for forgiveness but also knows you have to sleep in the bed you made.”

Ryan du Toit of Dutwaa Creative Agency+ directed the video. He based the concept on the chorus, where the singer pictures his lover as the ocean and as a voice calling to him. In du Toit’s words, that line “in my opinion represented the lust struggles of the Sirens and sailors.” He went on: “The story to be told was a reflection of love struggles in today’s life, which is shown in the video by visualising ‘capture, lust, allure, death and entrapment’. During the video the idea was to show all the past lovers dead in the water, but all warning signs are ignored. A man set on course to find love no matter the consequences.”

The Parlotones have a long record of strong music videos, and “Antidote” fits that record.

How the video was made

The video was shot in Sasolburg, inside a shipping container that had been converted into a water tank. The most talked-about scene shows the Siren releasing eggs from her mouth. Du Toit explained what it means:

“In order to crudely show ‘an act of lust and sex’ without having sex, the Siren passes eggs from her mouth in order to impregnate his thoughts that she’s the one or ‘trust me, I love you’. The Egg scene also shows how generally weak men are when a woman unfolds her beauty. Eventually a story unfolds of a Siren who lustfully attracts a man into her world. It seems she gets captured by him or ‘kept’, but who is the one being captured? Unfortunately for the man it turns out to be himself and he suffers like her past lovers…… DEATH BY LOVE.”

The video premiered in the US with the magazine The Big Takeover on 19 July 2019, the same day the single came out.

The Unplugged(ish) Tour

After “Antidote” came out, the band took The Unplugged(ish) Tour around South Africa in August 2019. These were small, intimate shows supporting the acoustic album Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. When the single launched, the band announced that the album was available on digital pre-order now, with the digital and CD release set for Friday 26 July 2019.

Stops on the tour included:

• 10 August 2019: Theatre in the Park, Delta Park, Johannesburg
• 21 August 2019: The Music Kitchen, Port Elizabeth (renamed Gqeberha in 2021)

What the band did after “Antidote”

At the time of writing, China was the band’s newest studio album. The table below lists what came next.

Across the four EPs the band added the new song “Life in a Jar” and a new recording of “Colourful”. When the series ended, the band said a full-length album was in the works, even though its members now live in different parts of South Africa and abroad.

FAQ

Who wrote “Antidote” by The Parlotones?

Keyboardist Rob Davidson wrote it, and he also did additional production on China. He started as a touring player and became a full member in 2017. He describes the song as a plea for a last chance, written first as a piano ballad and then reworked into 80s synth pop.

Who directed the “Antidote” music video, and where was it filmed?

Ryan du Toit of Dutwaa Creative Agency+ directed it. It was shot in Sasolburg, inside a shipping container converted into a water tank. The story follows a man drawn in by a Siren, using imagery of capture, lust, allure, death and entrapment.

When was China released?

It came out in South Africa on 20 July 2018, the band’s 20th anniversary year. The international release followed on 28 June 2019. “Antidote” opens the album and was released as a single on 19 July 2019.

What is the meaning of the egg scene in the video?

Du Toit says the Siren passing eggs from her mouth stands in for an act of lust without showing sex. The idea is that she plants the thought in the man’s mind that she is the one. By the end, the man who thinks he has caught her turns out to be the one who is trapped.

Have The Parlotones released a new album since China?

Their only full-length album since then is the 2020 holiday album Strike the Harp. From July 2024 to October 2025 they released four Forgotten Songs EPs made up of demos, covers, remixes and new recordings. The band has said a full-length album is in the works, but no title or date had been announced as of November 2026.

Who is in The Parlotones now?

Kahn Morbee started the band in 1998 with drummer Neil Pauw and still sings lead. Paul Hodgson plays lead guitar, Rob Davidson has been a full member since 2017, and Trevor Rebello joined in 2023.

Sources

• China (The Parlotones album), Wikipedia
• The Parlotones, Wikipedia
• The Parlotones Premiere New Music Video For ANTIDOTE With The Big Takeover, BroadwayWorld
• The Hype Magazine on “Antidote”
• Parlotones Unplugged at The Music Kitchen PE, Quicket
• The Parlotones: The Unplugged(ish) Tour, Theatre in the Park, Quicket
• The Parlotones’ new EP features unique covers and remixes, IOL
• The Parlotones unveil Forgotten Songs EP 3, IOL
• The Parlotones close the curtain on their Forgotten Songs series, FootNotes Media
• The Parlotones final chapter of Forgotten Songs, SA Music Zone
• The Parlotones on Apple Music
• The Parlotones official site