takcom + samurai jazz quintet: pico.

There’s something about the intrinsic freedom and improv history that’s sewn into jazz that lends itself particularly well to experimental visuals. Without words to guide along a pre-determined narrative, we’re left with an ultimate freeflow; we decide for ourselves what the story behind the sounds is, and the director gets an ultimate carte blanche to create whatever visual story he or she wants.

Directed by Japanese director/animator Takafumi Tsuchiya (a.k.a. Takcom) for experimental jazz outfit Samurai Jazz Quintet, “Pico” is twitchy, graphic, dimension-shifting animation gem. It follows no convention or boundaries, just visualizes, with complete abandon, the sounds it has merged with.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Via No Fat Clips

: : : : : : : : : : :

delphic + andy huang: doubt.

I love the artistic study of the collision between the digital and organic, and the idea of a point where our physical evolution meets mutation and takes a shocking genetic leap forward. I’m drawn to depictions of that intersection where our microchips merge with our bodies, and how we’re forced to consider how the rest of us may react when the first of us transcend the boundary of the human and the mechanical and transform into an unimaginable new hybrid.

The new video for amazing alt-electronic outfit Delphic’s “Doubt” is a stunning physical metaphor for emotional mutation. Their faces and bodies crystalize, galvanize, and alchemize themselves against their emotional trauma and manifest into a physical protection for, and even aggression against, their new emotional world. Like second skins, metallic armours and cellular defenses slowly spread across their bodies.

Reminding me of the amazing genetic mutational imaginings of Lucyandbart, the vid is directed by another artist with experience in visualizing the future.I first discovered Andy Huang over two years ago with his spectacular short film “Doll Face”, a story of robotic narcissism that has to be seen to be believed, which he followed up with his sinister and disturbing “The Gloaming.”

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Via No Zap

: : : : : : : : : : :

mirrorshade + holy fuck: royal gregory.

I hate to think of my music video tastes as a foregone conclusion, but this vid has the hallmarks of everything I love: retro, colour, pixellation, Cubism, profanity, electro, a hint of Bauhaus, and video game references. I can’t stop myself and nor would I want to.

Directed late in ’09 by London-based shop Mirrorshade for Toronto’s own (Polaris Prize nominees) Holy Fuck’s ’08 track “Royal Gregory.”

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Via Motionographer

: : : : : : : : : : :

sia + dennis liu: you’ve changed.

Sia is one of those musicians who can pretty much do no wrong when it comes to videos. I loved her Claire Carre directed vid for “Soon We’ll Be Found”, and  though not quite as esoteric as Björk or as fearless as Fever Ray, she’s definitely inside a pack of artists who take the video medium as an opportunity to do quality work that augments and enhances their music instead of merely presenting it.

In her latest Australian single, “You’ve Changed”, Sia took a more light-hearted, pop culture referenced route. Directed by Dennis Liu (who also created the mega-popular Mac video for The Bird & The Bee’s “Again and Again”), this parody of Rock Band has a makeshift, arts and crafts feel that makes the extreme nerdy awkwardness of it’s teenage “players” particularly bang on. Inventive through, it’s totally witty, loaded with winks to gamers, and even manages to be a little heartwarming and optimistic at the end.

: : : : : : : : : : :

matthieu chedid + stéphane berla: est ce que c’est ça.

I love the phosphorescent, x-ray, almost 3D quality to the animation in this video, directed by Stéphane Berla, for French singer-songwriter Matthieu Chedid.

Via Antville

sleep whale: houseboat.

I’ve been anxiously following Texas electroacoustic wizards Sleep Whale ever since I came across the video for “Little Brite.” This month their first full length album, Houseboat, was finally released and it was more than worth the anticipation.

Acoustic and airy and alive, “Houseboat” just feels fresh. Their blend of organic sounds and digital sounds feels authentic, and one is never at the sacrifice of the other. Listening  makes me feel nomadic and untethered.

Here are my two favourite tracks, for your own freedom-inducing listening enjoyment:

Summer Sick

Light Tunnel

jonathan boulet + special problems: community service announcement.

There is nothing to not like about this. A simple but eye-grabbing execution from New Zealand directing collective Special Problems for Jonathan Boulet’s “Community Service Announcement.”

Via Feed

joe lea + laurel collective: fax of death.

This reminds me of Lite Brite. And basically anything that reminds me of Lite Brite is guaranteed win. Animate by Joe Lea for Laurel Collective’s “Fax of Death.”

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Via Motionographer

the decemberists: here come the waves.

I just got hard. Anything involving the visual interpretation of music is pretty exciting. Not just a music video, per se. A lot of the time, music videos are just a literal translation or version of a video. Song bumps, it’s in a club, booties shake, the end. Song is slow, singer holds someone, they gaze at each other, the end. These aren’t interpretations, they’re more like regurgitations.

So, when a band like The Decemberists employs four young film-makers to create animations interpreting their tracks, I get jumpy. For “Here Come The Waves: The Hazards Of Love Visualized” animations were created by Guilherme Marcondes, Julia Pott, Peter Sluszka and Santa Maria. On Oct. 19th, The Decemberists are playing a live show at UCLA synched entirely with the hour-long animation on screen. Which, clearly, would be fucking incredible. If anyone has tickets and feels like flying me to L.A., I would be more than up for it. Kthnx.

daniel franke + ryoji ikeda: one minute soundsculpture.

This kicks serious ass. It’s a chromatic hovering expanding blossom of goodness. Created by Daniel Franke to “One Minute” by Ryoji Ikeda.

Vodpod videos no longer available.