Directing duo rubberband. have created a mesmerising film for the return of Steve Lacy, using minimalism to draw the viewer into their distinctive take on the horror genre.As the camera does a 360-degree pan within a fenced-off area in a factory setting, Lacey comes in and out of shot to perform the Latin-flavoured Mercury. This motion control-driven device to frame the performance is the core of the video, but then rubberband. begin to disrupt our expectations.Halfway through the piece, an animal briefly appears walking outside the fence. The tone has now unexpectedly shifted, and the viewer is suddenly aware of a likely interaction between this creature and Lacy. Tension begins to crank up - confirmed by a flash of fur in front of the camera shortly afterwards. From then on Lacy is as much off screen as on-screen, and when he appears, his clothes are increasingly shredded.Shot by award winning cinematographer Evan Profosky on 35mm film, the video takes far less than its brief two minute and 30 second runtime to create a sense of sinister foreboding and creeping horror. The concept works to apply the classic horror formula, that what you (mostly) cannot see is more terrifying. It also captures the increasingly hard-edged energy of Mercury, the first of highly anticipated new material from Lacy.

Lava La Rue heads out for a trippy night out in London with her friends, in Paul Herrmann's absorbing video for the blissful High Fidelity.The Berlin-based director creates a colourful, soulful mood, populated by a riveting cast of supporting characters, that is both super-cool and super-lovely. And that is very much in keeping with the style and vibe of Lava and her associate artists in the Nine8 Collective in the past few years.There's even a sweet cameo by fellow Nine8 creative Biig Piig, sultrily appearing on TV screens during the course of this memorable, mesmerizing evening.

Jim Pilling directs a marvellous, timeless black and white visual for Samm Henshaw’s emotive Joy.Shot across stunning locations in the Peak District on 16mm by DoP Rik Burnell, it's the fourth instalment of the series of films created by Pilling and Henshaw - and all shot by Burnell - in association with Henshaw's latest album Untidy Soul, featuring Henshaw as his alter-ego 'Sonny'.From the first episode, Still Broke, Sonny's story has moved backwards chronologically. But for Joy, we join him in the present day. And he is on an introspective journey, as he’s driven through some stunning Derbyshire scenery, before leaving his car to continue his journey alone.There’s a lot of subtext there for people to interpret."I wanted the video to feel timeless in the same way the sentiments in the track are," explains Pilling. "For me it was about creating frames full of feeling and giving them space to breathe to let the viewer spend some time in each moment."There’s a lot of subtext there for people to interpret - in what we see and what we don’t see - and I think this slow place lets that play out in the minds of the viewer as they watch it. Samm’s a great storyteller, and this track is a really good example of that. So it was an ideal starting point to develop the visual from.”

Experiencing loss and grief are the key elements in Nightmares on Wax new video for the smooth melancholy track Isolated, directed by photographer and filmmaker Ade Coker and fashion designer Tolu Coker.The video takes an intriguing approach to the subject of mental wellbeing and the stresses that come in family life and relationships. The central female character leads us through various episodes, effectively her memories, stemming from the loss of a relationship.The directors employ various techniques as she navigates these memories, using dance to express her emotions, and then, intercutting to and from infrared photography in the dramatic scenes, to represent internal battles that the characters are dealing with. This is a very distinctive and heartfelt piece of work, with nods to Carrie Mae Weem's kitchen table series, from Ade Coker and Tolu Coker, two exciting new multi-disciplinary artists.

Claire Arnold creates a gothic marvel for Bree Runway's Eighties-tastic S.L.Y. The beautifully mounted theatrical concept is a suitable response to Bree's surprising foray into bombastic 80s-style ballad pop, with Bree traversing a gothic building like a fairy tale character, picked out by spotlights, and eventually stepping out into an abstract environment among the clouds. Presenting a haunting fantasy world, the video includes many things viewers will expect from Bree Runway - including slick choreography and extravagant styling - but also a more vulnerable, emotional side to the artist.It all proves that there is little that Bree cannot do. And that very possibly Claire Arnold has been watching Channel 5's rather brilliant 80s Greatest Pop Videos for inspiration...

Jake Erland and Ella Kenny direct a sweet and sunny promo for Rachel Chinouriri. Shot in LA, the video has a spontaneous home-video vibe, and features the artist posing in front of various sun-soaked backdrops, whilst enjoying a laidback trip through various locations. The lo-fi cinematic aesthetic feels nostalgic and celebratory, and focuses purely on performance and the beautiful setting.

As a bunch of old friends cling on through the final hours of a houseparty, Murkage Dave makes a timely appearance in Ricky Gibb';s perceptive and wonderfully performed video for Us Lot.This has been framed by Gibb as a comedy drama with dialogue leading into the track, featuring the interaction between five twenty-something friends, who have become less close through the passage of time, then finding a moment to come together again with the mysterious help of Murkage Dave. And this really does feel like a party in the final stages after its been going for several hours, with the characters in various states of mind, from the guy enthusing about crypto, to the blissed-out raver, to the individual sweating on the sofa riding out a bad trip - and seeing Murkage Dave materialise once the track goes on the speakers.Gibb reveals that the video came from a lot of brainstorming between himself and Dave - pretty much since they first worked together two years ago, on the video for Miles from Kinshasa's Motions. "It's the second time Dave and I have worked together on a music video: although based on the endless conversations and concepts we’ve bounced off of one another over the past two years it feels as though we've created a hundred projects together," he says."For me, the lyrical content is always the first jumping-off point when developing the idea, and Dave’s words are an absolute joy to respond to creatively. "He paints such vulnerable, personable, and relatable images; something I seek to do within my own work too. "In my own life, it has felt harder and harder to see friends and maintain connections. This is something that weighs on me heavily. Studying the sentiments expressed in Us Lot really reminded me that some bonds will always remain, despite how infrequently we may get to see one another."This felt like quite an unusual one to approach from a logistical recording perspective on the day; the idea that each of them was inextricably entwined, although seemingly severed in the space. With the strength of an incredibly talented cast - Victoria Nwaesei as Dom, Will Stevens as Earl, Alex Flick as Oscar, Rosie Goddard as Maisey, Derrick Methu as Bigz - and crew (including Joshua Fry as DOP, Tomasso Colleli on Steadicam), we were able to run the entire video through start to finish akin to a theatre show, and really allow the cast to explore their characters and the space equally in front of us.”He has done a great job with this, his first video since signing to KODE. An auspicious beginning which bodes very well for the future.

Broken Antenna return to music videos with this playful, technically adept video for Fatima and Joe Armin-Jones.The track #1, a song about a lover that’s emotionally disconnected due to past trauma, is paradoxically paired with a visual that demonstrates that love and compassion can still exist. The day to day goings-on in a domestic life are captured in a single tracking move, with its complexity highlighted by an additional layer of video squares, highlighting small details. It's a welcome return to music for the directing duo, whose work includes acclaimed videos for Hak Baker, Clark and Slick Don.