The music video originally found success during the advent of MTV. It then faded a bit from cultural consciousness as people stopped watching MTV for music. But the medium has made a comeback, and is now more relevant than ever, thanks to the accessibility of YouTube and the internet.
A great music video can supplement a song with a story of its own to create a dynamic marriage of image and sound. At their best, the visuals of video enhance an auditory experience to create media anew; three to five minutes (give or take) of pure sensory bliss that can offer a new way to look, see, feel, think about art and the world around us. Perhaps, as Marshall McLuhan iconically said (long before the onslaught of image and sound we’re living with/in today), “The media is the message,” after all.
Wild Belle mixes media in new and interesting ways
It certainly feels that way watching Wild Belle’s latest video, which accompanies their track “Have You Both.” The video is at once brand new and timeless; new media and old blending together as one, quirky, beautiful production.
As Wild Belle’s lead singer and video director Natalie Bergman said recently in Highsnobiety, “It’s a song about mistaken identity, internet romance, and wanting to have it all. For the video, I wanted to capture the spirit of the album, which is very hand-made. I spent a week locked in my apartment cutting up eyes, lips, hands and legs and animating a three-way dance party. I made this video in an app on my iPhone, but it’s also weirdly completely analog.”
The song, released in time for Valentine’s Day, is sure to make singles and couples alike smile a wider smile. Listen/watch by clicking above.
This duality is nothing new for Wild Belle, the brother/sister team making a name for itself by drawing from a myriad of influences, mixing and matching familiar styles into something that defies them all. It’s pop music, sure, but also uses Reggae, respectfully, while maintaining a grungy vibe that doesn’t shy away from the use of unexpected instruments, like, say, a saxophone, that give it a sound uniquely its own.
Bergman, who was raised in the Chicago area with brother and bandmate Elliot, also revealed her love for (and the influence of) the Purple One himself, Prince. Though, this shouldn’t really come as a surprise: The Minneapolis artist’s own offbeat style left an indelible mark on music video production as well as unprecedented instrumental and genre-defying collaborations.
“We live in a world with so many options and we’re constantly bombarded by images and information. How am I supposed to choose? To quote one of my heroes, Prince: ‘Don’t be fooled by the internet. It’s cool to get on the computer, but don’t let the computer get on you. It’s cool to use the computer, but don’t let the computer use you.’ Dance is one of the most profound and real forms of human connection and I’m always happy when my music makes people dance, even if it’s disembodied legs, lips, and eyes on paper.”
Wild Belle will be in Minneapolis, playing at the Fine Line, on April 3rd. Find your tickets here.
And read this article next: MnSpin is your new source for free music by local artists
