Bottom right image by April Josie //
Here’s the videos we had on repeat this year.
What are our criteria for an “indie music video”? It should mean independent right? Well *cue ominous music* some of these acts are signed to small labels or booking agents or both… but… they aren’t shooting with gazillion-dollar budgets, so we figured their clips were too good not to include. Below you’ll see plenty of DIY, a little bit of green screen, some Super 8 and some good, bad and ugly performances by artists all in the name of audio-visual entertainment.
Don’t forget to get out there and check out these acts over your holidays too! Buy a shirt or a vinyl or a sticker and help them fund more listworthy clips.
Luke Spook – ‘Small Town’
We premiered this gem of a clip a few months back and keep coming back to it for its delightful DIY vibes. Constructed and shot by Luke Spook himself (no idea how many hours went into, but we assume a lot), the vid takes us on a nostalgic trip through a humble little town, and pairs perfectly with the 60s rock bones of the track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjoKlNSoC8Q
Crocodylus – ‘Adrenaline’
After taking the crowning spot last year with their clip for doo-wop ballad ‘My Baby’, The Crocs are back, once again working with director collaborator Jamieson Kerr and doing cool things. Filmed in one shot, the video captures the energy of the trio with a candy-floss sunset as the backdrop, proving all you need for a ripper clip is a tasteful scene and a stellar performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYI9tepNeTY
Tasman Keith – ‘Billy Bad Again’
A simple idea executed well, this clip for Bowraville-come-Sydney rapper Tasman Keith is addictive watching. Directed by creative agency Entropico, the video sees Tasman doing his thing all over town, whilst his brother delivers the fire beat from his PC. It also features more head-nodding than any video we’ve ever seen, which never hurts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkV_XjXFfT0
World Champion – ‘Callisto’
Don’t know if we’ve mentioned, but we’re massive fans of Super 8 at LWA. The washed-out look of the film certainly lends itself to dark and quirky pieces, which is the vibe we picked up straight away watching World Champion’s ‘Callisto’. Following a redheaded protagonist as she explores a gothic mansion, the clip treads that line between spooky and kooky masterfully. Directed by Jordan Kirk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul4tEKXX2uc
Parsnip – ‘Rip It Off’
With shots that echo the style of writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Favourite) Melbournian outfit Parsnip have created a video that is equal parts enchanting and eerie. Directed by Alex Mclaren and shot in Geelong (though it feels like the English countryside), we’re not sure if the clip is a critiquing or praising high art, all we know is we were a little obsessed with this one when it dropped back in August.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d793e5N2YCo&feature=emb_title
Narla – ‘Am I Sane’
In making Narla’s ‘Am I Sane’ clip, director Matt Maule collected and combined some of the nicest shots we’ve seen in a “local” video in a long time. The use of natural pre-dawn and golden hour lighting has resulted in some memorable scenes that fit the outsider-rock feel of the track to a tee. Who’d of thought following three redneck blokes around the bush could be so beautiful?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5wM6efmXmQ
Sycco – ‘Peacemaker’
One of the freshest (as in most recently released) clips in this list, this one only came out a just a few weeks back and has been looping in our minds ever since. Director Josh Tate has worked in some cool shots like the balloon/flower bit from 1:18 and there are some really nice moments light-wise too, all of which allow Sasha McLeod AKA Sycco to unleash a truckload of attitude. She’s just been featured on the triple j Unearthed site, so chances are we’ll be hearing and seeing more of her in 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmLNIg62zxg
Ahlia Williams – ‘I’m Your Man’
Furthering her reputation as one of the most entertaining acts getting around, Ahliah Williams gets hold of our attention from the get-go in this clip and doesn’t let it go. Directed by Claire Salter, Millicent Malcom and Williams herself, the footage feels like it was captured in a sleazy motel in a red light district somewhere, with Williams giving it her all in her debut vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI5ThzizGsI
Sunfruits – ‘Sunfruits’
Ok, so this one is probably not going to win any awards anytime soon, but there’s something really satisfying about watching Sunfruits the band sing about Sunfruits the lollies, while dressed up as fruits. Also, their dance party at the end looks like it was loads of fun to film and can we come next time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PITiO-mBKto
Papa Pilko & The Binrats – Know My Name
If they were aiming to make a compelling clip out of next to nothing, Papa Pilko & The Binrats deserve a pat on the back for this one. Directed and edited by the band themselves, the vid is kind of like Radiohead’s video for ‘No Surprises’, if only Radiohead were whiskey-soaked swashbucklers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Ul_tYM7AI
The Buoys – ‘Inside Outside’
We’ve been big fans of this one by The Buoys ever since we premiered it back in May (was it that long ago?!) this year. Here the band’s frontwoman Zoe Catterall is engaged in a fierce track battle with a sunsmart douche, played by 100’s Rowen Tucker. It’s funny and tense, and we could watch that locker room shot all day, so kudos to The Buoys and director Clover Ryan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrq7-QZSOMM
Goodside – ‘I’ve Been Feeling Something Lately’
No office has ever been as emotionally tense as the one featured in this clip. Again this one was directed by Matt Maule who swaps the rugged Australian bush for the soul-crushingly uninteresting cubicle, and dutch tilts for slow zooms. It’s hard to feel anything but pity for singer Casey Logemann’s portrayal of the heartstrung protagonist, with her attempts to woo an uninterested co-worker falling flat. Oh well, at least she has her fantasies…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-bq4_bcukk
Johnny Hunter – ‘Ashamed’
How much fun can you have in the bathroom at The Lansdowne Hotel? The answer is quite a lot, as proven by Johnny Hunter’s ‘Ashamed’ clip from back in March. With Declan Arrighi & Rowan Dix behind the lens, the five-piece cram into some stalls deliver a typically impassioned performance, proving they don’t mind getting their hands (and backs) dirty to produce the goods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18UJy1MF0Dw
Breizers – ‘Now In Hi-Def’
Reminiscent of Beastie Boys ‘Sabotage’ video from 1994, ‘Now In Hi-Def’ sees Sydney psych act Breizers hurled forward in time to stop future Breizers taking over the world. Encountering a few familiar faces from the Inner-West music scene and loads of laughs along the way, the trio are forced into a musical face-off with stakes at an all-time high. Directed by Clover Ryan, who also directed The Buoys clip above, the colour palette and use of lighting (along with the performances) really make this video pop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bt5H6S11hI
Salarymen – ‘Please’
We had the pleasure of premiering this debut tune from Inner-West duo Salarymen last month and were delighted to see they did such an awesome job with the video. What’s not to love about a band that does everything together (even bird taming) all day long. Perhaps it’s the secret to those sweet harmonies? Who knows… Also, shoutout to direct Mickey Mason for documenting a regular day in the life of Salarymen so nicely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcIyjhX-Vnc
Rancid Eddie – ‘Here We Go Again’
Cars? Tick. Rocks? Tick. Beers? Tick. Rascals from down south, Rancid Eddie, came out of the gates strong on their debut release back in September this year. Director James Adams captured the boys in their natural environment, larking around like madmen in the bush, which suits the brothers in arms ethos of the song superbly. We’re predicting big things from RE in 2020 and hopefully some more entertaining visuals too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsLxRSBxur8&feature=emb_title
Liquid Time – ‘Living’
What can you create a handheld camera, some green-screen suits and some trippy editing? According to Liquid Time’s vid for ‘Living’, quite a bit. Embodying the psychedelic sentiments of the track, director William Suen, who also edited the clip, has gifted viewers a collage of craziness that is incredibly compelling. Mixing slow-motion underwater footage (which frankly always looks sick) with talking/singing head shots, the clip has just the right amount of weird and no slow points, meaning we can watch it over and over again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE3XedIxhqA
Israeli Chicks – supermarket
One thing we can be sure about this clip is that Israelis Chicks definitely paid for the rights to use this footage from US game show Supermarket Sweep. The clip syncs with their track perfectly, and let’s face it, it’s funny watching contestants in fluro clothes fight it out in the supermarket.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWC4zFiSyQk
Eagle Eye Jones – ‘Do Old Houses Dream’
Don’t know about you, but we could look at Eagle Eye Jones all day long… Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they make great bloody music as well. Doing their thing in a sun-kissed, light-filled room, with a vintage warmth coming through in the grading, it feels like the team from The Sauce could see this clip in their mind’s eye from the first time they heard the tune. Having played a bunch of shows this year and really defining their sound, we’re thinking 2020 might just be the year the Eagle…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx-2HU4qkIM
Mini Skirt – ‘Pretty’
Ok, so on the surface, this isn’t the world’s greatest music video, but it made our list for two reasons. Firstly, it’s unpolished, gritty and fun which is exactly how a Mini Skirt live show feels. Secondly, we’re just bloody stoked that we’ve got an MS video to finally stare at. So bravo to director Benny Portnoy who’s taken us the closest we can get to a Mini Skirt mosh pit without getting covered in beer and bruises.
