Elliott Gonzo helms a dark, dystopian promo for the team-up of Goldie and Casisdead, where rapper Cas is pitted against a monstrous dictator - Goldie - and humans have been replaced by machines.Taking cues from the likes of Blade Runner and The Matrix, the pulsating video for Still the Same plunges into a world entirely dominated by AI. Cas plays the hero on a mission to take down Goldie, the corporate bigwig who runs this ultra-sophisticated, machine-only society.Retrofuturistic graphics and modern technology intertwine to create a fearful cityscape, with Elliott Gonzo's experience with cinematic, abstract concepts leading the way. This is a chilling, precise world where AI rules every corner, really messing with what we thought we knew about reality, and Gonzo balances breathtaking VFX graphics with character work and narrative, to create something grungy and visually rich.

Jim Longden reunites with French indie outfit Oracle Sisters for another hugely entertaining promo. Following their collaboration on the UKMVA-nominated Alouette visual, the video for Blue Left Hand is another wacky and playful deconstruction of the world of filmmaking, but here set in a studio, where Longden and the band can expand on some of these ideas, with a bigger cast of characters. Inspired by the book Caliban and the Witch, the lyrics weave together a tapestry of history, philosophy and cultural critique, and the video taps into these themes to great effect. Toeing the line between arthouse aesthetics and something more haunting and unusual, the video is a lot of fun, and entirely shot on film, giving it a lovely nostalgic vibe. “Making a music video can sometimes be as torturous as trying to make Brando happy while he spits in your coffee," muses Jim Longden. "But when the music, the crew and the artist are great, and they make it a priority to shoot on film, the spit can end up looking a little like milk froth.”

Adam Berg directs a hauntingly atmospheric promo for legendary Swedish alt-rock band Kent. The video for Återvändare (The Returners) is set against a melancholic, early-morning Stockholm, where a ghostly figure moves through deserted streets and fog-draped alleys, embodying themes of memory and time.The intriguing premise leans on traditional horror iconography, but in a more subdued, ethereal way. Underpinned by breathtaking VFX work, the ghostly apparitions are a disquieting sight, but also represent a graceful, otherworldly presence in each vignette. Building up to an announcement at the end of the video of Kent's return, with stadium shows in Stockholm in March next year, it's a brilliant cinematic achievement.

James Edward Cook directs a love letter to vintage cinema in his promo for Peter Alexander Jobson. Following Cook's gore-soaked promo for the former I Am Kloot frontman's Burn The Ration Books Of Love, the video for Just 'Cause I'm Dead is considerably less visceral, but just as engaging. Boasting a flurry of practical effects - rear projection, weather effects and more - the video is a cinematic trip through time, anchored by Jobson's grounded performance."The last promo we shot for Pete was purposely static and methodical as the track was sobre and macabre," explains Cook. "This video is way more playful, so compositionally I wanted something free-flowing and whimsical for the new video. However we also wanted it to exist in the same universe as the previous video, so in-camera effects like front projections, candles, props and theatrical lighting were reinstated."Cook says that he was inspired by films of the silent era, such as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Chaplin and by German expressionism artwork. "The approach was to hint at that style without going full-force in post-production with heavy film damage or flickering," he continues."I found a gem of a location not far from where I live: a welfare centre with a rich history and character, so we were already in a great position before photography began. Unfortunately the smoke alarms couldn't be turned off so our massive hazer was made redundant!"Due to tight schedules we didn't have any rehearsal time so actor Amalia Vitale and I collaborated on her performance the day of the shoot and I blocked the camera movements accordingly."I love the immediate feedback I get from using tangible effects like projectors as they take out the guesswork. Like the track, the video doesn't take itself too seriously so hopefully that sense of whimsy comes through."