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Mid-week video roundup!

Disclosure: Jaded

As the days get ever fewer before the release of Disclosure’s second studio album Caracal, which comes out officially on September 25, they seem to almost be dropping a track a day. Today we have Jaded, the only song so far which doesn’t feature vocals from another artist. Instead it boasts lyrics sung by none other than younger half of the brother duo, Howard Lawrence. Lawrence also features heavily in the film, which comprises part four of a series of music videos set in an eerie, dystopian future. The story follows main character Mariella in a futuristic world where a group of men are stifling music and party culture of the youth. They attempt to hypnotise her but instead of revealing secrets she begins to flicker and transform into different people.

Caracal has already revealed tracks with vocals by Sam Smith, Gregory Porter and Kwabs, and promises the likes of Lorde, Miguel and the Weeknd. They may have been a little quiet for a while, but Disclosure are making one hell of a comeback.

Meg Mac: Never Be

Despite currently traveling Australia on her sold-out headline tour, Meg Mac has just released a powerful music video for track Never Be. Taking place on the side of a rocky ocean, the film emphasises the songs’ thumping beat and captures her incredible presence as an artist. Mac spoke about how the chant-like repetition of the song came about because she was driving. Since her phone had run out of battery she was compelled to keep singing it over and over to herself to remember it.

“And that’s my favourite thing about the song, how it feels like a chant you tell yourself over and over.”

Mac still has performances to go in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, and is then set to take part in the Gentlemen of the Road tour, which will also feature Jake Bugg and Mumford & Sons. After that, if her vocal chords haven’t fallen out by then she’s straight off to Falls Festival to perform over NYE.

Montaigne: Clip My Wings

Montaigne has released an awesome music video for Clip My Wings, featuring the Sydney artist being pulled and tugged by invisible forces. Co-written, produced and mixed by Tony Buchen, who has also worked on tracks by The Preatures and Andy Bull, the song has a force, and an unrelenting beat to it that isn’t un-similar to Meg Mac’s. Montaigne spoke about how the idea to have her be jolted around in the video didn’t just come from the title ‘wings’, but also from her love for a video game called Kingdom Hearts.

“I didn’t come up with the plot-line, but I did drive the inspiration behind it visually as I had the very distinct idea of falling and flying in my head, not because of the ‘wings’ metaphor, but because I am obsessed with this video game called Kingdom Hearts – a game which formed much of my creative style.”

Montaigne’s performance is surprisingly agile, and well-filmed, throwing into question whether they used an invisible harness for the entire thing or if she just managed to make it look that way.

Banoffee: With Her

Banoffee’s music video for With Her, the feature song of her forthcoming self-titled EP is remarkably vulnerable. The action takes place in a swimming pool, where the Melbourne artist stands immersed in water. Behind her, synchronised swimmers sway to the rhythm. The utilitarian swimming pool combined with a faded, warm-tinged colour scale gives clip a nostalgic, timeless quality. Shrouded in dripping pink clothing, Banoffee stares at the camera and gives a raw and honest performance of a song that obviously brings up memories of pain. Lyrics like;

“Every time I heard your voice on the phone, I thought I had you to myself,
That we were alone
Every time I saw your face on the screen I thought you were with me,
You with her, her, her”

Bare Banoffee’s soul, and tap into a feeling of rejection that so many of us can relate to.