Haya Waseem directs an affecting black and white promo for superstar Sam Smith. With the singer returning to their ballad roots with the delightful Love Is A Stillness, the video captures its gentle mood, while featuring aspects of life in their adopted home of New York City. It features very little of the artist, instead exploring a number of everyday relationships in an intimate way. Gentle gestures and lingering looks communicate an array of emotions - love, regret, concern - which are part of our universal experience, and instantly relatable. Though we know very little about the characers on screen, we are confronting the rollercoaster of life along with them, projecting our own life experiences onto the images. A lovely video for an impactful comeback.

Celeste presents her directorial debut with a spectacular vision for new track This Is Who I Am. The video is a meditation on society and the oppression women have suffered across history, and a reminder of their collective strength and resilience. We see Celeste bound to a wooden structure right by the beach, disheveled and exhausted as different characters appear in the foreground, considering the scene. Taking an abstract, theatrical form, the scenes wouldn't look out of place on stage, with careful regard to composition and lingering performance sections.It's a huge achievement, and a captivating introduction to Celeste's new music.

Harvey Pearson directs a plaintive promo for Victor Ray, Strandz and Kojey Radical. The captivating video for Sticks & Stones leans into an intimate style, making space for lingering performance shots and abstract cutaways. Ensuring each artist has their time in the spotlight, the video effortlessly transitions from solo to group shots, with a fresh and contemporary edge. "When directing the video, I wanted to create a performance video that allowed each artist to shine - both individually and in their interactions with one another," Pearson explains. "Victor, Kojey, and Strandz each bring such distinct and dynamic styles to their performances, and it was exciting to embrace and highlight their unique energy."It was equally important to carve out a space for Victor to tell his story, particularly hearing him deliver his first rap verse - giving the video a sense of personal narrative that complements the collaborative energy of the track."By combining stripped-back yet bold visuals with moments of intimacy and connection, I aimed to amplify the emotion and individuality that makes [the song] so powerful."

Spooky season may be over, but David Carrizales' hypnotic promo for Colombia-based industrial-metal artist Hypervuur brings plenty of haunting vibes. The video for El Fin De La Humanidad is a sensory overload, by design. Matching the experimental and ambiguous track, an array of mixed-media snapshots flash on and off screen, tied together by a brilliantly unhinged performance. Animated sequences transition to hyper-vibrant typeface montages, all linked by a chaotic and abstract style.“We started without any clue of where it would take us," explains Carrizales. "As if wandering through a thick jungle, seeing only what's 10 cm ahead of you, and hacking your way through with a machete."Instead of following any plan we simply allowed the song to unfold, playing with different layers, textures, and techniques. It was quite a trip, and quite fun doing it.”