Afrika Shox Case Study
Artist: Leftfield ft. Afrika Bambaataa (vocals)
Track: Afrika Shox
Genre: Electronic/Acid House
Released: 6th of September 1999
Directed by: Chris Cunningham
Chris Cunningham is known for directing several similar music videos to Afrika Shox. For example, he directed "Come to Daddy" by Aphex Twin, "Come on my Selector" by Squarepusher and Aphex Twin again for "Windowlicker". Often Cunningham's videos are darkly themed and explore peculiar concepts; in terms of narrative structure they are usually linear and have an open text that is ambiguous. An example of Cunningham's dark vision is the "Come to Daddy" video; it was shot on the same estate that Stanley Kubrick shot much of "A Clockwork Orange" on. Furthermore, it explores the idea of an evil spirit surrounded by small children, inhabiting the estate. All of the children bear the face of the producer of Aphex Twin, Richard James, and go around causing havoc. The video made an appearance on the Channel 4 list 'The 100 Greatest Scary Moments'. Notice how both "Afrika Shox" and "Come to Daddy" explore the idea of a dystopia and feature characters in the mise en scene that represent those who are invisible to society and live on the outskirts of the big cities. From this, the audience can see the similarities between Cunningham's work and the issues raised in and amongst an urban society, of which especially applies to Afrika Shox.
A short animation commenting on the recent information leak on how the NSA monitors citizens of America. I find it interesting how the animators have parodied the famous Pixar scene with the lamp, instead replacing it with a CCTV camera. This links to my analysis on the control authorities have over minorities (slide 4 of the powerpoint.)
Monday, 26 August 2013
Monday, 19 August 2013
Fold - Mr President, We're in Trouble (Song Choice)
Fold - Mr President, We're in Trouble
Lyrics:
Mr. President, we're in trouble.
It's clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper...
deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages -- deeper, even, than inflation or recession.
Too many of us now tend to worship self indulgence and consumption.
Human identity is no longer defined by what one does but by what one owns.
And we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning.
We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose.
Mr. President, we're in trouble.
What can we do?
First of all, we must face the truth and then we can change our course.
If you lead Mr. President, we will follow.
This track was found by the other member of my group on SoundCloud. The 4 piece are called Fold and are from Leeds. We had agreed that we didn't want an indie style band, therefore we were searching for a more electronic/trip hop sound. Fold fit this bill perfectly, operating in the experimental trip hop genre and claiming to get inspiration from DJ Shadow amongst others. One of the elements that Fold brings that is akin to DJ Shadow is the use of samples (for which DJ Shadow is renowned, his first album 'Endtroducing' was the first completely sampled album). Another example of DJ Shadows love for sampling is the music video for Midnight in a Perfect World, which features a lot of found footage to match the use of sampling in the track itself. One of the sounds that I picked up on in Mr. President, We're in Trouble was the sound of birds/animals calling out. I felt that this was significant because it delivers a subtle message; perhaps that man has wondered too far from nature which would link to the idea of consumerism or that the nature of mankind is destroying what really matters.
What makes Fold individual is the samples that are used in their tracks; political themes run high through much of their work and often aim to convey a message about society. Following on from these themes of equality, Fold are actually making an effort to see change in the world: Mr President, We're in Trouble is supporting The Equality Trust - an organisation devoted to campaigning for more equal societies across the globe backed by solid evidence. One of the reasons that the track appealed to us both is the sample of President Jimmy Carter because the speech contains so many links to themes, such as inequality, consumerism and corruption. With these strong themes we felt we could come up with some strong ideas based upon the issues raised in the song; I particularly felt that focusing in on the idea that 'consuming things doesn't fulfil the longing for meaning' would be a good starting point because it allows for emotion and something that a lot of people can relate to. We also wanted to make sure we could include political themes as it seems to be a strong part of the track. In terms of narrative, a linear structure would be straightforward and would work, but it definitely seems as though there is the possibility of a circular narrative as it would make sure that the message conveyed in the track and video would be much stronger and hit harder. Jimmy Carter himself could be incorporated into the music video, as some of his views on human rights and equality are interesting and apply directly to the themes of the track.
In terms of contacting the band, the other member of my group spoke to Fold to confirm that they are unsigned and that we would have permission to use the track and to make a music video for it. So far, they have been co-operative and offered to send a mastered version of the song along with a DVD of the sample.
Lyrics:
Mr. President, we're in trouble.
It's clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper...
deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages -- deeper, even, than inflation or recession.
Too many of us now tend to worship self indulgence and consumption.
Human identity is no longer defined by what one does but by what one owns.
And we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning.
We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose.
Mr. President, we're in trouble.
What can we do?
First of all, we must face the truth and then we can change our course.
If you lead Mr. President, we will follow.
This track was found by the other member of my group on SoundCloud. The 4 piece are called Fold and are from Leeds. We had agreed that we didn't want an indie style band, therefore we were searching for a more electronic/trip hop sound. Fold fit this bill perfectly, operating in the experimental trip hop genre and claiming to get inspiration from DJ Shadow amongst others. One of the elements that Fold brings that is akin to DJ Shadow is the use of samples (for which DJ Shadow is renowned, his first album 'Endtroducing' was the first completely sampled album). Another example of DJ Shadows love for sampling is the music video for Midnight in a Perfect World, which features a lot of found footage to match the use of sampling in the track itself. One of the sounds that I picked up on in Mr. President, We're in Trouble was the sound of birds/animals calling out. I felt that this was significant because it delivers a subtle message; perhaps that man has wondered too far from nature which would link to the idea of consumerism or that the nature of mankind is destroying what really matters.
What makes Fold individual is the samples that are used in their tracks; political themes run high through much of their work and often aim to convey a message about society. Following on from these themes of equality, Fold are actually making an effort to see change in the world: Mr President, We're in Trouble is supporting The Equality Trust - an organisation devoted to campaigning for more equal societies across the globe backed by solid evidence. One of the reasons that the track appealed to us both is the sample of President Jimmy Carter because the speech contains so many links to themes, such as inequality, consumerism and corruption. With these strong themes we felt we could come up with some strong ideas based upon the issues raised in the song; I particularly felt that focusing in on the idea that 'consuming things doesn't fulfil the longing for meaning' would be a good starting point because it allows for emotion and something that a lot of people can relate to. We also wanted to make sure we could include political themes as it seems to be a strong part of the track. In terms of narrative, a linear structure would be straightforward and would work, but it definitely seems as though there is the possibility of a circular narrative as it would make sure that the message conveyed in the track and video would be much stronger and hit harder. Jimmy Carter himself could be incorporated into the music video, as some of his views on human rights and equality are interesting and apply directly to the themes of the track.
In terms of contacting the band, the other member of my group spoke to Fold to confirm that they are unsigned and that we would have permission to use the track and to make a music video for it. So far, they have been co-operative and offered to send a mastered version of the song along with a DVD of the sample.
Friday, 16 August 2013
Possible Tracks
Melt Yourself Down - Fix My Life
This track is quite lively with a quick tempo, therefore I thought it would be good to use to make the music video because of the numerous cutting opportunities. I found this song particularly interesting because it moves away from the stereotypical indie bands that are often used and thus it would present more of a challenge but, I believe, a better result in terms of originality. I found this track exploring the electronic/alternative section of Bandcamp and the use of the saxophone in such an unusual way was a selling point as it provided a unique sound for the potential music video. The style of the song would perhaps suit a montage style music video rather than a narrative driven music video because of the choppy nature of the instrumental and the quick tempo, however a narrative could possibly work. The problem I found with a narrative is that the track doesn't have any lyrics; thus the music video wouldn't be able to amplify, represent or even contradict the track and for this reason it would be harder to incorporate theories of genre; in particular Goodwin's theory as it relies on lyrics. The track may also allow for possibilities of montage and narrative crossing over however, this could make for an interesting concept and the opportunity to cross genres.
However, it could be argued that lyrics aren't essential for a strong music video with a narrative. For example, The Prodigy - Voodoo People (Pendulum remix) has next to no lyrics but still manages to convey a meaning when combined with the linear narrative music video; often a track with no lyrics is actually explained by the video itself. Voodoo people draws from several British signifiers to establish itself, the Land Rover at the end links to Essex Boys and the urban landscapes are typical of decaying cities, such as areas of London or Glasgow. For these reasons, the music video has a thriller-esque feeling to it, which fits the track perfectly as it has a lot of energy and an artificial sound.
Another example of a music video that conveys a meaning without the use of lyrics is Sigur Rós - Fjögur píanó. This is the music video for Sigur Rós from their album Valtari. The music video/short film is based upon a couple trapped in a perpetual cycle of addiction and abuse, set to a somber piano melody that at times hints at some light at the end of the tunnel. The director of the video said that it is about "addiction to drugs, or sex, or anything - and how you get stuck in a cycle". This is perfectly clear to the audience without the use of lyrics because the music video has been done well to show a narrative. The video is said to be inspired by relationships that are both "beautiful and deadening" to get out of. The butterflies in the music video could also represent something that is beautiful and perfect, but dies fast; thus a metaphor for the couples relationship. Both of these music videos could be explored much further and could become the basis of a case study in the future.
Vienna Ditto - Liar Liar
This is the second possible track, also found in the electronic/alternative section of Bandcamp. Vienna Ditto are a band from London/Oxford and have a dirty Chicago blues/dark psychedelia kind of sound. I found this track appealing because of it's dark nature, which I felt could work well with a darkly themed music video. Liar Liar would be more appropriate for a narrative structure music video because it does have lyrics which would enable me to correlate these lyrics into themes for the video. Having lyrics would also be helpful for incorporating narrative theories/theories of genre. For example, the track would work well with a video that depicts opposition or conflict, thus Claude Levi Strauss' theory would directly apply to the music video. In addition, the music video would most probably illustrate or amplify the lyrics, therefore supporting Goodwin's theory also.
Some of Vienna Ditto's other work also appeals to me, such as 'I know his blood will make me whole'. This track has a slower pace and therefore a much darker, more sinister tone, the sound is definitely more reminiscent of the 'Chicago blues' aspect and 'The Dirty South'. This track made me think of Quentin Tarantino's most recent film, 'Django Unchained' because the instruments used inspire thoughts of intimidating westerns, additionally I feel that this track is similar to some of the modernised folk music used in 'Django Unchained', especially because of the religious themes. However, for this reason I felt it was slightly inappropriate for a music video in England because the themes of the song are heavily American, unlike my other choice.
This track is quite lively with a quick tempo, therefore I thought it would be good to use to make the music video because of the numerous cutting opportunities. I found this song particularly interesting because it moves away from the stereotypical indie bands that are often used and thus it would present more of a challenge but, I believe, a better result in terms of originality. I found this track exploring the electronic/alternative section of Bandcamp and the use of the saxophone in such an unusual way was a selling point as it provided a unique sound for the potential music video. The style of the song would perhaps suit a montage style music video rather than a narrative driven music video because of the choppy nature of the instrumental and the quick tempo, however a narrative could possibly work. The problem I found with a narrative is that the track doesn't have any lyrics; thus the music video wouldn't be able to amplify, represent or even contradict the track and for this reason it would be harder to incorporate theories of genre; in particular Goodwin's theory as it relies on lyrics. The track may also allow for possibilities of montage and narrative crossing over however, this could make for an interesting concept and the opportunity to cross genres.
However, it could be argued that lyrics aren't essential for a strong music video with a narrative. For example, The Prodigy - Voodoo People (Pendulum remix) has next to no lyrics but still manages to convey a meaning when combined with the linear narrative music video; often a track with no lyrics is actually explained by the video itself. Voodoo people draws from several British signifiers to establish itself, the Land Rover at the end links to Essex Boys and the urban landscapes are typical of decaying cities, such as areas of London or Glasgow. For these reasons, the music video has a thriller-esque feeling to it, which fits the track perfectly as it has a lot of energy and an artificial sound.
Another example of a music video that conveys a meaning without the use of lyrics is Sigur Rós - Fjögur píanó. This is the music video for Sigur Rós from their album Valtari. The music video/short film is based upon a couple trapped in a perpetual cycle of addiction and abuse, set to a somber piano melody that at times hints at some light at the end of the tunnel. The director of the video said that it is about "addiction to drugs, or sex, or anything - and how you get stuck in a cycle". This is perfectly clear to the audience without the use of lyrics because the music video has been done well to show a narrative. The video is said to be inspired by relationships that are both "beautiful and deadening" to get out of. The butterflies in the music video could also represent something that is beautiful and perfect, but dies fast; thus a metaphor for the couples relationship. Both of these music videos could be explored much further and could become the basis of a case study in the future.
Vienna Ditto - Liar Liar
This is the second possible track, also found in the electronic/alternative section of Bandcamp. Vienna Ditto are a band from London/Oxford and have a dirty Chicago blues/dark psychedelia kind of sound. I found this track appealing because of it's dark nature, which I felt could work well with a darkly themed music video. Liar Liar would be more appropriate for a narrative structure music video because it does have lyrics which would enable me to correlate these lyrics into themes for the video. Having lyrics would also be helpful for incorporating narrative theories/theories of genre. For example, the track would work well with a video that depicts opposition or conflict, thus Claude Levi Strauss' theory would directly apply to the music video. In addition, the music video would most probably illustrate or amplify the lyrics, therefore supporting Goodwin's theory also.
Some of Vienna Ditto's other work also appeals to me, such as 'I know his blood will make me whole'. This track has a slower pace and therefore a much darker, more sinister tone, the sound is definitely more reminiscent of the 'Chicago blues' aspect and 'The Dirty South'. This track made me think of Quentin Tarantino's most recent film, 'Django Unchained' because the instruments used inspire thoughts of intimidating westerns, additionally I feel that this track is similar to some of the modernised folk music used in 'Django Unchained', especially because of the religious themes. However, for this reason I felt it was slightly inappropriate for a music video in England because the themes of the song are heavily American, unlike my other choice.
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