Top Music Videos 2011 – No. 15-11
In all respects, 2011 was another very successful year for music video directors who go against the current. Like 2010, an abundance of good ideas found their way to the public, particularly on YouTube, Vimeo and other social networks and video platforms. The revolution of the way we watch TV is still in full swing and definitely unstoppable. The slavery of the past few decades often based exclusively on the interests of big record companys and TV channels. That influence is still strong, but decreasing and it does not cause any harm if the balance of forces continuously changes. On a positive note, people with a special taste find more often the style they want. So enjoy the places 15 to 11, my personal impressions and highlights of the past year. The others will follow.
15. DJ Shadow – »Scale It Back« directed by Ewan Jones Morris & Casey Raymond. Ewan Jones Morris and Casey Raymond managed to put together an incredible video with a really low budget. The clip is about a memory sequence created by Ben Pridmore. Pridmore is the 2009 World Memory Champion, a title he also won in 2004 and 2008. Very unique concept.
14. Camo & Krooked – »Breezeblock« directed by Jack Pirie and Alex Hylands-White. Jack Pirie and Alex Hylands-White directed a somewhat loony music video for Camo & Krooked. The story is about an 80s game show presented with an extremely exaggerated dance battle. Machtdose video of the month july!
13½. Radiohead – »Lotus Flower« directed by Garth Jennings. How the hell did he do that? The year’s best dance moves part one comes from funky chicken Yorke boogieing, jigging and swaying to the song »Lotus Flower« like no other. Get yourself on the dance floor for some smooth swinging.
13¼. The Black Keys – »Lonely Boy« directed by Jesse Dylan. The year’s best dance moves part two. This single-shot video features the hot-stepping and lip-sycning of a man who is decidedly not the Black Keys. Nevertheless, this guy is pretty cool.
12. M83 – »Midnight City« directed by Fleur & Manu. One of the most popoular songs of 2011 was visually lifted with this freaky and fantastic short film about some telekinesis kids who escape from a boarding school and freely use their powers in an abandoned warehouse.
11. Beastie Boys – »Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win« directed by Spike Jonze. In case that anyone has missed Beastie Boys’ official full length, ultra HD and explicit director’s cut action-figure music video »Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win«. 2011 was not necessarily the successful musical revival of the Beastie Boys, but indeed a revival of excellent filmmaking (not forgetting »Fight For Your Right Revisited«).