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Josman 'Spotlights' by Marius Gonzalez
videoJosman 'Spotlights' by Marius Gonzalez

Marius Gonzalez directs a spectacle where reality, pop culture, and the absurd collide for French rapper Josman, entirely generated by artificial intelligence.In the Sootlights video, Josman moves through a constantly shifting world, inhabited by iconic faces — Tupac rapping in a fleeting shot, Kurt Cobain haunting a high‑society party, and other improbable figures born from the poetic glitches of the machine.Between pixelated luxury, glitching avatars, and mirrored plays of shadow and light, the video captures the essence of the track: the allure of fame and wealth, and the weariness they leave in their wake. A hypnotic and surreal experience, where AI becomes a mirror of the vertigo of being “under the spotlights.”

Promonews - 1 month ago

Ashnikko 'You Make Me Sick!' by Saam Farahmand
videoAshnikko 'You Make Me Sick!' by Saam Farahmand

The return of Ashnikko with her "angriest song" also heralds a breathtaking comeback to music videos by Saam Farahmand, creating a clinical pop-horror as deliriously subversive and transgressive as anything he has done before. It’s sick.You Make Me Sick! clocks in at just over two minutes, and in that time Farahmand establishes a scenario worthy of Cronenberg in a slick pop video aesthetic, inviting the viewer into repeated surges of disbelief. What is being piped in tubes between the orifices of Ashnikko and her followers? What is that murky liquid rising up around Ash and her dancers?The artist and director are in perfect harmony in their drive to create art that crosses over the line of good taste, and will generate a good deal of actual disgust, even from those who admire it greatly. It’s a brilliant smashing through into something new and dangerous, an undiluted, confrontational, controversial visualisation of raw pain.“I’ve decided to come back with my angriest, most cathartic song to date,” the singer has said of the new song in an accompanying statement. “My own personal rage room for me to smash my plates.”Saam Farahmand has added: "The video is about discovering toxicity, the purging of toxicity and the defiant audacity of revelry and spectacle within it. I continue to explore the collision between raw, uncomfortable human experience, and the seductive spectacle of pop culture."

David Knight - 13th Feb 2023

Ian Leone 'The Life' by BRIGHTNIGHT
videoIan Leone 'The Life' by BRIGHTNIGHT

BRIGHTNIGHT captures the hazy energy of a riotous house party, in the video for London-based artist Ian Leone's The Life. Combining slick DIY freeze frame setups with frenetic snapshots of the night unfolding, the video explores the way time passes in different ways when you're drunk, as opposed to the morning after. The video perfectly captures the transcendent, liminal feeling of the state between being buzzed and hungover, and does so with plenty of style and flair."Stopping time was a big practical challenge for everyone on set," say director duo BRIGHTNIGHT. "The camera move had to be timed out at double speed so we could halve the frame rate for a smooth look, and everyone had to hold their poses, not blink, get in as much of a performance as they can while not moving. "The end effect seems more technical than it is, which is cool. We wanted the editing and shooting style to match the mental state of Ian as he goes through the party, right through to the morning after. We wanted to finish with that feeling you get at 4 or 5 AM when you’re melting into the sofa."

Rob Ulitski - 27th Sept 2022

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videoPianwooo & Ill Japonia 'Kawasaki' by Lu Xiao Wei

Lu Xiao Wei directs a punchy promo for Pianwooo and Ill Japonia, in association with Nowness. Filmed in a derelict industrial zone in London, Kawasaki is the meeting of two trailblazers from the UK Asian Underground scene. We see the artists run (t)rap burnouts together as they commune in the city’s forgotten spaces, with their crews behind them (WAV collective and Eastern Margins — the driving forces of London’s burgeoning East & South-East Asian communities).Boasting fiery performances, exhilarating bike scenes and chromatic cinematography, the video moves at a breakneck pace, skipping any superfluous introduction and cutting right to the chase. Excluded from mainstream Western media and spaces, they run rings around the mainstream rap scene, trading bars in English, Japanese and Korean, combining to create and build their own community under the directorial vision of Lu Xiao Wei.

Rob Ulitski - 19th Jan 2022

videoScarlxrd 'Can't Die' by James Barnes

James Barnes directs a frantic performance promo for trap-metal superstar Scarlxrd. Intertwining traditional cinematography with FPV camerawork, the video captures the artist's trademark impassioned performance style, backdropped by unique, textural locations. Glitchy visual effects and a gritty black and white grade create a haunting yet high concept aesthetic, which perfectly fits within the surreal concept.

Rob Ulitski - 10th Nov 2021

videoLancey Foux 'Steelo Flow' by Olivia Rose

Oliva Rose uncovers a UFO conspiracy, in the dystopian promo for Lancey Foux's Steelo Flow. Paying homage to sci-fi iconography and retro obsessions with extraterrestrials, a janitor is glued to several monitors, hoping to get a glimpse of alien life. He lucks out when he spots Foux in an industrial warehouse, mounted upon a motorcycle in a frenetic and exciting performance setup. Between the strobes and snapshots of his exposed face, something isn't quite right... Refreshingly unique and futuristic, Rose pushes current trends aside and digs deep into the rich subject matter, and gets an extraordinary performance from the artist to anchor the whole project.

Rob Ulitski - 29th Jan 2021

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videoNiska 'Chargé' by Max Vatblé

Niska laments his haters in Max Vatblé's haunting promo for Chargé.Described by Vatblé as “hardcore French hip-hop meets the Google search for ‘how to get rid of a hater’, set in a cartoonish black and white world", the video depicts Niska undertaking out a peculiar mission. He's carrying a human-shaped package, where only a pair of trainers are visible. Inspired by Mathieu Kassovitz's La Haine and the iconic video for Jay Z's 99 Problems by Mark Romanek, the video, shot in high contrast black and white, is a hypnotic adventure through the mind of the artist, with a distinctly unsettling tone. And it culminates in a grisly meeting with a dustcart shredder...

Rob Ulitski - 28th Jan 2021

videoKamal 'About The Party' by Milo Blake

Milo Blake, twice-nominated at this year's UKMVAs, shows his eye for a distinctive camera technique once again for teen artist Kamal.Almost the whole video is shot from above, with Kamal addressing the overhead camera while a houseparty goes on around him. The point is, the get-together is a lot more ordinary than the camera angle, and Kamal would rather be somewhere else - as repeatedly confirms in the lyrics. Milo Blake describes it as "a visual tale about how those rubbish parties can entrap us all", saying the video's concept was inspired by "the idea about what it would look like if you could Google Earth into the different rooms of a party which never quite gets going. It's all meant to be a humorous and surreal depiction of a common situation we have all encountered at least once in our lives."

Promonews - 17th Nov 2020

videoLous And The Yakuza 'Amigo' by Wendy Morgan

Wendy Morgan directs a fourth promo for Lous And The Yakuza, this time exploring a mystical fairytale concept.Shot in Normandy, the video focuses on dynamic performance in a multitude of preternatural vignettes, complete with quickfire choreography and dreamlike movements. DoP Joel Honeywell contrasts Lous' electric performance against the natural beauty of the French coast, mixing the contemporary with the traditional to highlight the need for change and progression in society, alluding to the overall idea of the concept (explained further in Lous' description below). LOUS AND THE YAKUZA: This video means a lot to me as a young African girl from Congo and Rwanda."This song is an ode to Renaissance. In the first part of the video I’m playing a mystical witch character on the edge of a cliff, and then a princess on a horse and then a warrior surrounded by my army Yakuza. These enigmatic characters are a testimony of my own growth in life, what I have overcome, this is my Renaissance."This video means a lot to me as a young African girl from Congo and Rwanda, this is the fairy tale I’ve never watched growing up. These are the powerful images I needed to see, the representation of strength I always dreamed about. This could have never been possible without all my beautiful multicultural and multi talented team, I appreciate everybody’s work on this video, each of you guys accomplished the crazy challenge that was to shoot something in these COVID-19 difficult times."

Rob Ulitski - 25th Sept 2020

videoOctavian ft. Future 'Rari' by Crowns & Owls

Crowns & Owls direct a brooding visual for Octavian's Rari, featuring Future. Known for balancing a fashion-forward aesthetic with boundary-pushing visuals, the moving image trio place Octavian in a sequence of abstract vignettes, mirroring the bittersweet emotion of the track. Bloody and breathtaking, the video pays homage to retro 1980's aesthetics such as synthwave and outrun, the latter taking its name from the 1986 arcade game, and popularised through images of glitchy sunsets and neon gridlines. The performances are spot-on, and Future's remote setup intercuts perfectly, a testament to the restless effort of the creative team on both sides of the Atlantic.

Rob Ulitski - 31st July 2020

videoHeadie One x Drake 'Only You Freestyle' by Nathan James Tettey

When Tiffany Calver got the call from Drake to find out who best to feature on this drill track, Tiffany knew instantly it had to be one person and one person only and that was Headie One.Only You Freestyle video is a collaboration between two iconic rap artists from across the Atlantic. Dropped in the heart of lockdown it was important to ensure that the quality of the video matched the lyrical genius of the track and its safe to say it was a success!

Promonews - 22nd July 2020

videoSL 'Little Bird' by Oliver Jennings

SL traverses an overgrown, abandoned Britain in Oliver Jennings' video for Little Bird. Focusing on performance and striking set pieces, the visual jumps from a futuristic tropical apartment to rural landscapes inhabited by flocks of sheep, before moving on to the deserted streets of London. Charmingly offbeat and paying homage to a variety of different genres and concepts, SL thrives in each of the vignettes, bringing lots of confidence and presence to each scene.

Rob Ulitski - 13th July 2020

videoIssermann 'Sad+Boring' by Nathan Sam Long

No, Tom Cruise is not in the video for rising artist Issermann. In the video for Sad + Boring, director Nathan Sam Long utilises deepfake technology to land a star-studded "cast".The Black Mirror-like story follows Isserman, as he utilises futuristic contact lenses to visualise his celebrity fantasies in place of his partner. Co-starring French artist and ballerina Victoria Dauberville, the visual is a whirlwind trip into the Uncanny Valley, with haunting undercurrents and a more than slightly creepy atmosphere.The story reflects our image-obsessed society, allowing us to glitch and transform our bodies on a whim. In a first-of-its-kind, this form of artificial intelligence - most widely associated with fake news and revenge porn - has provided a unique opportunity for an emerging musician."Sad + Boring is about being stuck in a relationship that’s slowly diminishing you and your personality," says Isserman. "I thought celebrity deepfakes provided a great metaphor for this desire to be loved at all costs, and actually was surprised it’s not yet been explored in this way."

Rob Ulitski - 11th May 2020

videoAma Lou 'NORTHSIDE' by Ama Lou

Transatlantic soul star Ama Lou self-directs this easygoing performance video, a homesick tribute to North London shot in Los Angeles.The video comes almost a year after her debut EP, DDD, and an accompanying short film shot by her sister, DoP Mahalia John. This was Lou’s California crime story, a bold triptych starring the singer as a new recruit in a desert crime ring.NORTHSIDE, in contrast, is a decidedly stripped-back affair, in which Lou communicates the relative simplicity of life in her native London: “The Northside is with me even in LA.” The video stars a host of friends and collaborators, including Taco from Odd Future and A$AP Nast.There is also a cameo appearance from a crumpled Sainsbury's carrier bag - an affectionate reference that will undoubtably mystify American viewers.

Ned Botwood - 10th Oct 2019

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