From the street-tagging viral campaign at the outset, Sufjan Stevens' new project Sisyphus – a collaboration with Son Lux and Serengeti – has been a swerve left for the Brooklyn-based singer from writing epics about his birth state and The BQE. In their latest video, he heats up in a shaded, sexy atrium where dudes rub hairy chests, dancers cavort in stockings and suspenders, with the odd NSFW nip slip too. Ryan Dickie directed the accompaniment to the track, which blurs digital fantasy with fleshy reality. Watch the video exclusively on Dazed, and read Dickie's explanation of the video below.
Ryan Dickie: "I wanted to convey sexuality in a physical sense but not explicitly, because in the (song's) lyrics the desire is cerebral and out of touch. The idea of a 'room' you need permission to enter helps enhance it because what's on the other side of that door is different for everyone. The juxtaposition of the physical and the digital is inspired by the sonic elements of the track; it felt like a natural extension to include a present digital element. Son Lux’s production is so visceral and kinetic, I was interested in combing that with the dancer’s body movement to vacillate between delicate and aggressive tones as well as make strong compositions to reflect the feeling of the music. Sufjan was extremely supportive and wasn’t afraid to make something striking – and he actually autographed an Illinoise CD for my Mom's birthday. She was STOKED."
