Music Videos of the Month

DRAKE – "ENERGY"

We’ve all wanted to be Miley Cyrus at some point in our lives (or I have at least), but Drake takes that idea way too literally when he renders his head onto Miley Cyrus. The weird bit is that this Driley Cyrus hybrid is pretty hot. He also does the creepy warp thing to Oprah Winfrey, Justin Bieber and Barack Obama in a video that looks like an insane multi-coloured collage of this year’s most WTF-worthy viral moments. It’s brilliant.

KENDRICK LAMAR – "FOR FREE"

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is easily one of the most powerful and brilliant albums to have come out of this year, and so far, the rapper’s music videos have been no different. In this surreal clip, Kendrick leaps and darts around as quickly as the shuffling drum strokes and dancing bass lines, before multiplying and running around a mansion.

JANET JACKSON – "NO SLEEP (FT. J.COLE)"

Janet Jackson is the sultry queen of insomnia in this soft-tinged, atmospheric visual creation. The track and video mark a low-key but much-welcomed comeback for the R&B priestess, who hasn’t released anything in the last seven years. Absence makes the heart want more music from Janet Jackson, am I right? North Carolina rapper J.Cole also makes a surprise appearance.

DESTINY – "SOUL TRAIN"

Banish that summertime sadness with this fun and freeing visual from Destiny (formerly known as Princess Nokia). The liberating, 70s-style clip sees the eclectic New Yorker dance and eat ice lollies in the sun-splashed streets. “To me, this is a video of Black revolution,” Destiny explained to Dazed. “It’s for the Black and Latino communities in America, and it was created to honour the lifestyles that cultivated our culture and the positive and artistic outlets that healed us in hard times.”

AUTRE NE VEUT – "WORLD WAR PT.2"

Thought Drake’s video for “Energy” was the weirdest thing you’d seen in the last month? Think again. This clip for Autre Ne Veut’s “World War Pt. 2” is a full-on, freaky body horror with a heady dose of NSFW. The bald, naked person clinging to singer Arthur Ashin is probably a metaphor, but what for? A possessive relationship? Our biggest burdens? Whatever it means, it’ll give you really trippy nightmares. 

KEHLANI – "THE WAY (FT. CHANCE THE RAPPER)"

R&B’s girl of the moment Kehlani channels those late nineties TLC vibes with baggy combats, a slick dance routine and silky smooth vocal runs in this stylish, monochrome visual for “The Way”. The clip also sees her and Chance the Rapper get raunchy. Who knew that they would have so much chemistry? It’s getting a bit hot in here.

M.I.A.– "SWORDS"

Dazed’s favourite pop provocateur has always dropped music videos that blow the others out the water – that much we already know – and this electrifying clip is no different. The video includes footage of an array of dancers, with girls swinging swords atop white horses whilst M.I.A. flings fire and mediates in front of the sun. The video was released as part of a six minute, audio-visual project (which can be viewed below) and the bass-heavy, drum-laden track will appear on her upcoming album.

ABRA - "U KNO"

Awful Records’ darkwave duchess recently dropped her dance-ready debut Rose, and we’ve had it on repeat ever since. Now she’s blessed us with this uber-strange visual for “U Kno”, which sees her share a bath in all her clothes, rub a man’s bald head and watch herself brushing her hair. Is it sexy or just bizarre? The two aren’t always mutually exclusive.

DARKSTAR – "PIN SECURE"

Most of us have worked a shit, empty-headed job with long hours and low pay. This video from electro duo Darkstar re-enacts these dead-eyed moments and hammers home the point that we’re all zombie cogs in a huge, politically evil machine. There’s also someone giving a blowjob to their boss, who is actually a giant furry koala. Weird.

EARL SWEATSHIRT – "OFF TOP"

Odd Future tearaway Earl Sweatshirt gets riotous in this feverish, utopian cartoon of Los Angeles. The track itself thuds and scuffles as Earl journeys through the grainy, burning city. If you’re into sinister cartoons, have a read of our rundown of the darkest animations of all time.