Jackson, Cassie, These New Puritans plus some loud Applause in our YouTube picks
JACKSON AND HIS COMPUTERBAND - DEAD LIVING THINGS
Alexander Courtès’ sumptuous composition layers multiple surreal happenings across the Warp act’s stunning track. Courtès who has previously worked with Daft Punk, Phoenix and The White Stripes, has perfectly captured the conflicting feelings of doom and wonder around ‘Dead Living Things’.
ANNA CALVI - ELIZA
The ever-immaculate Anna Calvi has never been short of presence. In this gothic-tinged film by Emma Nathan, we find her chasing the song’s heroine through steamy forest and pelting rain, slowly losing layers and a miniscule amount of that composure.
THESE NEW PURITANS - ORGAN ETERNAL
When tracks are as stirring as ‘Organ Eternal’ there is always a danger any visuals might detract from their effect, but noted fashion photographer Willy Vanderperre’s debut music video has perfectly balanced the visual to musical nuances in this powerful piece.
MOUNT KIMBIE - HOME RECORDING
Another Warp act’s video captures several realities at once here. The forlorn mood of ‘Home Recording’ stretched across merged interiors and exteriors into this ethereal landscape made by Anthony Dickenson.
CASSIE - I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
Sometimes you just need a simple studio, some scribbled graphics and a seriously hot, talented artist up front and centre. The visual for another cut from the RockAByeBaby mixtape that announced her return earlier this year, shows Cassie doesn’t need a huge crew of dancers and hangers on to demonstrate her prowess, just her gorgeous vocal, a couple of male models and some liquor to douse them with.
KIM DEAL - ARE YOU MINE?
‘Are You Mine?’ is an ode to Kim Deal’s mother, whose Alzheimer’s ravaged mind begs for repeated reassurance from Kim that she is indeed hers.
ISLET - TRIPPING THROUGH THE BLUE ROOM PART II
These trippy, glacial erosions of self are demonically hypnotic. For this, video director Casper White, sculpted the members of Islet in ice, shot them melting, then overlaid video portraits in flesh.
G-DRAGON - COUP D'ETAT
Dominant K-pop group BigBang’s biggest break out star, G-Dragon, brought Diplo and Bauuer on to produce ‘Coup D’Etat’. The imaginative scope of this mostly monochromatic video is enormous, it’s a K Pop trait to cover a range of varied set pieces, but however divergent in feel they are all presented beautifully to further embolden G-Dragon’s enthralling persona.
YOUTH LAGOON - RASPBERRY CANE
Stephen McNally’s captivating animation traverses as many folds of the imagination as Trevor Powers’ Youth Lagoon inspires with his fragile recordings. A magical land of monsters and men illuminated and laid out to spill into your dreams or perhaps stalk your nightmares.
LADY GAGA - APPLAUSE
She just totally won video this month. She did. Watch it again.