videoMissy Elliott 'Cool Off' by Daniel Russell Missy Elliott builds upon her brilliantly absurd videography with the Daniel Russell-directed Cool Off - featuring Missy and friends making performance art in a modern art museum. As a protegé of Elliott's frequent collaborator Dave Meyers, Russell has a deep understanding of the visual language and qualities that make a Missy Elliott video so fresh and punchy: high-energy performance, surreal concepts, cutting-edge styling. This video encompasses all of the above, with Russell's own flair thrown in. With a trademark beat and catchy refrain, the visual depicts Elliott as an art exhibit, on-display alongside a group of glitching, floating characters. Within moments, everyone breaks into breathless choreography, introduced by a complete change in colour palette and super-vibrant styling. Elliott doesn't disappoint with her performance - a quickfire flow, dynamic movement and impressive balance... which will all make sense when you watch it (and particularly to anyone old enough to remember Weebles... ed.) Drawing upon the groundbreaking visuals of her early mainstream work, the track and video capture a sense of nostalgia, whilst contemporising the themes and adding a unique perspective to the mix.
Rob Ulitski - 19th May 2020