It’s video roundup time! Once again, Howl And Echoes are coming in hot with the freshest, most eyeball stimulating music videos to be dropped by the artists you love and some of the artists you don’t know you love yet, of this week. We do all the dirty work and herd them all into one convenient, web-based location for you to enjoy every Friday so that you don’t have to. Have yourself a good old gander at the latest offerings from:
Bob Moses – Tearing Me Up
Coming straight from their wildly acclaimed debut album Days Gone By is the latest single from Bob Moses, Tearing Me Up. The Vancouver-via-New York electronic-pop duo have made some waves this year with their infectious sound. The video was shot in Paris and the smoking lounge feel of the track, soft crooning over an off-kilter backbeat and some beautiful keys thrown in, blends perfectly with the gorgeous after dark urban shots of two lovers making their way around the very city of love. Real nice stuff.
The Retroaction – Little Strange
Staying with Canada for this next one, which may be one of the more creative and fun music videos I’ve seen all year. Shot using a 360 camera in the band’s living room, you can watch this little jam session from every angle conceivable. Most importantly though, WHAT DOES THE SIGN ON THE ROOF SAY, The Retroaction? Because I can’t read it but I absolutely need to know.
The song’s a cracker too, some old time rock and roll done nice and shouty, just the way it should be. There’s running through the motions with music videos just trying to make something that’s aesthetically pleasing and then there’s doing something wacky and enjoyable like this that really involves the listener. The Retroaction nailed it.
Kali Uchis – Ridin’ Round
Colombian (via Virginia) singer, songwriter and producer Kali Uchis is a tender 22 years of age, but she’s already appeared at Coachella (alongside Kaytranada), supported 21st century soul man Leon Bridges on tour and even found a guest spot on Tyler The Creator‘s Cherry Bomb LP. She’s a talent on the rise for sure, and track/video combinations like Ridin’ Round, off her upcoming album Rinse, are only going to shoot her to stardom faster.
The song is a wicked summery blend of reggae, neo-soul and RnB, featuring Kali’s sugar-sweet pop vocals. The video sees Kali with the sass turned up all the way as she returns to her roots to capture a snapshot of life in her home of Colombia. There’s apparently minimal acting going on in the video, with a lot of family members used for the scenes in the streets, the aim being to provide a real and authentic look at her origins. The perfect visual accompaniment to a song that showcases Kali’s multitude of talents to near perfection.
KLP – Recover
If you’re an avid Triple J listener, you’ll know KLP, aka Kristy Lee Peters, who serves up good vibes on the weekly hosting House Party. She’s also a talented vocalist, songwriter and producer in her own right, but to add just a bit of extra spice she has enlisted the artful flow of Remi for her brand new single Recover. It’s an upbeat party track arriving just in time for a long, hot summer, and the music video accompanying it is one hell of a celebration.
With cameos from some of KLP’s contemporaries in the Australian music scene like Peking Duk, Art Vs Science, Set Mo, L-Fresh The Lion and Remi himself, the clip also features an appearance from Triple J colleague and all-around legend breakfast host Alex Dyson, actress Sophie Lowe and a stack of others, all attending the type of party we simple folk could only dream of. A great watch.
The Laurels – Zodiac K
If you’re looking for something a little more psychedelic, we have the latest offering from Sydney’s Inner West, a track entitled Zodiac K by quartet The Laurels. The clip is a triptastic montage of chopped up photographs of the bands’ 2013 tour of the US, where they played the Austin Psych Fest. It’s so pleasing to the eyeballs and the accompanying track does the same for your ears.
Catch The Laurels at Newtown Festival this Sunday and supporting The Brian Jonestown Massacre at The Factory on the 18th!
The Goon Sax – Sometimes Accidentally
Brisbane trio The Goon Sax, apart from having a killer band name, also put out one of my favourite songs of the year a little way back with the foot-tapping, shoe-gazing, contagiously jangly Sometimes Accidentally. I’ve listened to it that many times that I feel like Rainier Wolfcastle when Jay Sherman told him his loafers were untied. It’s a great track, and the video partners up with it marvellously. It’s a trip through some sunny suburbs as the band act out the narrative lyrics to the song and it .
Another great band out of my hometown. Can’t wait to catch them playing their well-deserved slot at next year’s Laneway Festival.
Sofi de la Torre – London x Paris
Spanish singer-songwriter Sofi de la Torre is something else. Her shimmering, hazy electro-pop has been well-received with every release and the haunting London x Paris, a track off of upcoming EP Mess from her, is no different. Full of dreamy synths and the smoky, enchanting voice of Sofi hypnotising the listener, it’s here accompanied by some deliciously lo-fi shots of the streets of both titular cities. Sofi directed the clip herself, capturing London and Paris, both cities she has spent time living in, in an amazing light.
Visually and sonically captivating, we’re looking forward to Mess thoroughly.
Bad//Dreems – Bogan Pride
I love absolutely everything about Adelaide outside rockers Bad//Dreems. Their debut album Dogs At Bay was released this year and blew everyone’s fur so far back it wasn’t funny. Bogan Pride is one of the hardest rocking songs to make the final cut of that album and the Baddies put out an equally hard-hitting music video to match it. The footage is as grainy and raw as their sound, some of the highlights include a dude in a Mal Meninga-era Canberra Raiders jersey opening bottles with his teeth, another dude with pink-eye, speed dealers, missing fingers, the neon lights of the pokies, a shirtless wrestling match, durries at every turn and all of it spliced in with footage from one of the band’s raucous gigs.
Just watch and tell me this isn’t the most Australian music video of 2015.