The flooded underground, snacks and guns, straight hair and big glasses, the rock format, and working for the man.
The Phoenix Foundation “Pot”
“Pot” was directed by Reuben Sutherland who also directed the Phoenix Foundation’s “Hitchcock”. But rather than imagining a dystopian future of cars, instead “Pot” is about trains. Specifically it’s about a London train that’s set in motion long after the city has become flooded and abandoned – the director explains more here.
Director: Reuben Sutherland
Timmy Schumacher featuring Eden Mulholland “The Fire”
“The Fire” introduced a Japanese woman who’s having a few of her friends over for snacks and beer. It seems like an ordinary enough event, when suddenly it’s revealed that the hostess is in fact an arms dealer. She shows off her fine selection of guns, much to the delight of her guests and the peril of a stuffed toy. They settle on their purchases and – this is just the best detail – take their arsenal acquisitions home in Teletubbies goodie bags. A skilful blend of menace and delight.
Director: Marc Swadel
Tyree “Saviour” – missing
The “Saviour” video was on YouTube, but it’s been made private. The song ends with a fade-out, something not normally heard past the ’80s, but surely a perfect match for a visual fade-out.
Director: Roko Babich
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Unknown Mortal Orchestra “How Can You Luv Me?” – missing
I can’t find any evidence of this video having been made, but it’s on the completed list. Hmmm. There are, though, loads of live performances of the song, as part of UMO’s publicity assault on North America. Perhaps they were too busy touring to make their video debut.
Vince Harder featuring K.One “Alone No More”
Vince Harder brings out his smooth moves on this seductive song. The video feels strangely dated due to a couple of moments – one where Vince uses a BlackBerry to text his sweetie, the other where said bae is shown with straightened hair and big sunglasses, straight out of 2005. But aside from technology and fashion, Vince is largely left alone to being a cool R&B guy. And just to prove how real it all is, he even has a bit of a pash with his lady. Oh my.
Director: Ivan Slavov
We Are Romans “Beauty and the Beats”
https://vimeo.com/113820481
On We Are Romans’ Soundcloud, they boringly note that “Beauty and the Beat “deviates from the standard electronic progression, instead taking on the form of a rock ABABCB format.” That’s what the video feels like — a bunch of serious musicians who are trying to emulate a cool electro-rock band. The director’s Tumblr suggests that the band broke up before the video was completed, but the director admirably later finished the video in the name of completion.
Director: Aidan Manchester
Young Sid featuring Stan Walker “Stuck in a Box”
“Stuck in a Box” is a tale of triumphing over adversity. Young Sid starts off describing two teens – a guy who gets involved with a gang, a girl who gets pregnant – who stifle their potential with their paths in life. But there’s hope. The third verse is Sid essentially describing himself and how things worked out. The video puts Sid and the almighty Stan Walker in a park. There’s a suggestion that kids in the park are selling something illicit on behalf of Sid, but it’s revealed that they’re being junior entrepreneurs and hawking Young Sid CDs, so everything is working out well in that time when selling CDs was still a thing.
Director: Andrew Morton
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision