Legendary Director David Lynch's Top Secret New Project Is A Hypnotic Music Video

It is happening again. 

On May 27, David Lynch took to Twitter (or, uh, X) to announce a new project releasing on June 5, stating "Something is coming along.... for you to see and hear" in typical Lynch fashion. Now, I know what you're thinking: speculations about upcoming Lynch projects since "Twin Peaks: The Return" have always ended in disappointment, be it the baseless rumor that a new Lynch film was headed to Cannes in 2022 or the update about Netflix's (misguided) rejection of his long-gestating animated movie "Snootworld." While the legendary director's latest project is not a new film/series or anything "Twin Peaks"-related, it is a captivating, brand-new 10-song album with his longtime collaborator, Chrysta Bell (also known as Chrystabell). Titled "Cellophane Memories," the album is set to release on August 2, 2024, courtesy of Sacred Bones Records, but the Lynch-directed music video for the single, "Sublime Eternal Love," is now available for you to watch.

You might recognize Chrystabell from "Twin Peaks: The Return." There she slips into the shoes of FBI agent Tammy Preston, who played a significant role in the investigation following the odd, mysterious return of Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) after several decades. Her musical collaborations with Lynch date as far back as 2007 and her songs were featured in the soundtrack for his intense, discombobulating "Inland Empire." Since then, the two have worked on several projects, including the EP "Somewhere in the Nowhere," while Chrystabell also provided melodies for Lynch's poetry.

Although it's heartbreaking that we won't have the pleasure to experience Lynch's cinematic brilliance anytime soon, "Sublime Eternal Love" bears the hallmarks of the director's singular artistry, which you can watch for yourself below.

The foundational inspiration for "Cellophane Memories" is as surreal as you would expect a Lynch-helmed creative idea to be. According to SPIN, the project was a result of a "vision" Lynch saw "during a nighttime walk through a forest of tall trees, over the tops of which he saw a bright light," which went on to reveal "a secret to him." Although I am not quite sure what that means, the results do speak for themselves; "Sublime Eternal Love" carries a haunting undertone that is crystallized throughout the soundtrack of "Inland Empire," where even the most abstract sentiments are captured vividly for us to feel and experience.

Chrystabell and Lynch's approach toward music can be better understood via the singer/performer's own words about the collaboration process, which she describes as intuitive and experimental — where emotions take centerstage when crafting something meaningful. Per her official website:

"Over the years I've gleaned that this is generally how it goes down though I am not in the studio during these experiments. If one of these sessions has yielded a feeling with the music and David thinks that feeling would be enhanced with my voice and essence, I am brought into the equation. This unusual approach of 'feeling' being at the forefront of a composition and paramount above all else has affected me greatly. It's a reminder not to overthink when making art."

Chrystabell also stated that listening to the album feels like "many doors that are left open to wonder, wander and get turned around in [...] It's like mood music [...] not that it creates mood, but more that it reflects your own." This feels exactly like experiencing Lynch's art, which remains groundbreaking and elusive, and where meaning-making is intensely personal.