Neil Potter “Shipwrecked”

As someone who has battled OCD and depression throughout his life, Potter knows firsthand how all-consuming and debilitating mental illness can be, especially for those fighting tirelessly to rise above it. Rather than solely peering into the mind of a narrator wrestling with the consequences of their illness, “Shipwrecked” opens space for dual analysis, inviting listeners to witness two sides of a partnership unraveling under the weight of turmoil. Both characters feel like they can barely keep their heads above water. Despite the narrator’s desperate efforts to climb out of a hole threatening to swallow him whole, their partner refuses to change, acknowledging their flaws but dragging those around them into a universe of chaos and wreckage without much remorse or gratitude.

At first, the track feels deceptively lighthearted, layered with bouncy guitar riffs and an easygoing, steady beat. But about two minutes in, the tempo surges, the key shifts to minor, and the atmosphere plunges into a raucous roar—like a fog descending to swallow everything in darkness. Distant voices echo, driving guitars blaze, and Potter’s growl cuts through as the fracture, the fundamental difference between them, becomes undeniable: “I always find myself back to land…while you find yourself shipwrecked.”

The self-produced “Shipwrecked” music video presents Potter not only as a musician, but as a true visionary—an artist with the rare skill to translate his vivid lyricism into striking visuals. Rather than unfold the story literally, Potter takes an abstract, universal approach, centering on the journey of mental illness and the many battles and triumphs along the way. Viewers who have walked this rugged terrain, or know someone who has, will likely recognize these harrowing scenes: everyday people with their knees pulled close to their chests, faces buried in their palms, slumped over, alone, and hopeless. But as the music shifts, so does the imagery, expanding into sweeping, cinematic landscapes—waves lapping against the shore, eyes opening wide, as if, for the very first time, peace is not an unreachable mirage but a tangible possibility. Here, on solid ground, “constant thoughts” and “sleepless nights” are finally surrendered to the sea, never to return.