video-tecture--one of the latest features on archinect-- spotlights some of the more prolific music video works by contemporary bands including the likes of radiohead, mogwai, feist, roksopp, david byrne, brian eno and many others. the feature focuses on the portrayal of landscape and architecture in music video format to illustrate some unique "spatial experiments".
by now most of you have seen the rap video in zumthor's therme vals, but we thought this one stood out of the crowd [pictured above]:
and while not music videos, two clips from the films, 28 days later and vanilla sky [respectively] could be an additional study of spatial experiments in film with music. these two clips contain similar themes of isolation and despair, although two very different atmospheres are created simply by the tone of the accompanying musical pieces.
while jim appears to be completely distraught in a deserted london, signs of a recent massacre are even more haunting as he discovers them through leftover artifacts of the violence. eventually he is discovered by the perpetrators and as the music climbs, jim is chased away from the open public square into the more claustrophobic side streets, escaping what seemed to be a certain grisly demise. the music plays to a more direct fear of an apocalyptic future through the atmospheric feedback in the guitars, manic drumming and relentless staccato notes from the cello-a deeper sound to convey dread.
mint royale - from rusholme with love [w/ intro by radiohead - everything in it's right place]
the latter clip follows david, a wealthy new yorker, as he wakes up to the digitally laced dream-like tune from radiohead. we witness his routine of getting ready for the day; there is no dialogue, no voice narration, which leaves the viewer anxious for some sort of conversation-a reassurance that this is real. to his disbelief upon arriving at times square, he gets out of the car and surveys the landscape only to find he is the only one left in new york. the music fades in with a more playful techno dance number as he begins to flee the scene, hoping to out run his loneliness. the camera turns it's gaze toward the billboards whizzing past from the protagonist's dizzying point of view, only to abruptly cut after a whirlwind shot of david screaming above the phantom ambient voices he cannot find. the scene is more fun than scary and the alien of an eastern techno pop song relieves the anxious viewer and displaces one into a scene of extreme fantasy.
by these two differing scenarios, could one imply that music creates space/place? on film it is almost certain-but what about in our everyday lives?
after all-it was quoted somewhere that architecture is like frozen music...
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