I’ve noticed a new trend in music vid production lately, the super minimal video. Whether its because the obsolete cash strapped labels are cutting costs by slashing promo budgets or artists are tipping their caps to the age of information overload there are a lot of videos dropping that feature establishes and emerging artists in productions with deceptively simple conceits. Above is the latest from Jarvis Cocker, the original purveyor of geek-chic and front man of Britpop legends Pulp, getting squished up for his latest single ‘Further Complications’.
Here’s the Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner crooing to the camera with the Humbug ballad ‘Cornerstone’:
The trend isn’t confined to just visually minimal vids. Here’s Clipse’s ‘I’m Good’. Notice the whole video is shot handheld, tight frames, and all available light:
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You forgot the award winning video of Beyonce for Single Ladies, the groundbreaking House of Cards of Radiohead, which uses some nerdy tools to capture 3d images and the Ok Go threadmill video. Elaborate does not equal fabulous. Like the Weezer’s Pork and Beans video which gathered all the internet memes they can think of. Kinda not funny and stale since it has been done before.
Between the indie-labeled Jarvis Cocker and the major label player, Arctic Monkeys, Jarvis’ video looks more polished and creative. It may remind some that it looks like Madonna’s Human Nature video, but Jarvis’ video looks more like a stop-motion animation with its smooth direction choreography. Easily one of the best I’ve seen this year. If only I know who Jarvis Cocker is.