-
- November 22, 2021
On November 2nd, Gang of Youths released the music video for their single, “the man himself.” “Directed by their regular collaborator Joel Barney, the track’s new video puts a different spin on the song’s concept, this time cutting between the intensity and magnetic charisma of [Dave] Le’aupepe’s performance with a visual representation of him as a boy.” Read our review of the song here, and read on for our opinion on the music video!
Overall, the use of textured stop-motion on the segments of the younger Le’aupepe is extremely effective in blurring the lines between what is a memory of the past and what is a vision of the future. Using the sunburnt orange of the single’s cover art as the background color for the shots of current Le’aupepe is another move that works well, as that color can be interpreted as dawn or dusk. While the song is about being hopeful in the face of loss, there is also the other side of loss: the feeling that everything is coming to a complete end. This music video is a great combination of the two.
That seems to be intentional as well. “Joel Barney commented, ‘Dave came to me with the idea of creating a video that incorporated the idea of a younger version of himself. We wanted to blur the lines of the connection by making it seem like flashes of Dave reminiscing on his childhood or the younger version of himself imagining the future. One of the main focuses for the video was pulling together a sense of nostalgia whilst keeping it feeling dreamlike. We wanted to incorporate elements of stop motion 2D animation to give the video a textured feeling to it and to separate the two parts of the video visually, whilst still existing within the same world. Mickey, the animator, used real textured brush strokes and materials to give the video an authentic feel that visually brings the video out of the screen into something feeling material.’” As is the case with most art, all of the outcomes are products of intentional decisions in the creative process. Barney and Gang of Youths put together an incredible visual for this powerful song, and it works its magic to the highest caliber.
Check out our track review at the link above, watch the music video below, and let us know what you think!
