The Best Videos of 2007
Back in the seemlingly prehistoric days when MTV didn't feel the need to spawn six channels to justify its keeping the "M" with the "TV," there was one brilliant way artists could simultaneously illustrate meaning in their songs and portray their image to the world: music videos. Fast forward to present times, and you're able to plop down, plug in, and feast on practically everything your digital lifestyle desires on the Web. With that in mind, we've rounded up the year's best indie music videos--all of which are available for download (limited time only)--thanks to the artists and labels. Enjoy a few now, a few later, and remember what was cool about 2007 while it's still fresh. Happy downloading!
Battles: "Atlas" Post-rock dexterity meets math-rock rage in the instrumental virtuosity of Battles. Composed of indie-scene veterans from Helmet, Don Caballero, and Tomahawk, Battles weave a tightly knit post-rock web filled with unpredictable breaks and massive dynamic tension. Battles boldly goes where few instrumental rockers dare.
New Young Pony Club: "The Bomb" Quirky, swirly, and delightfully coy, the members of New Young Pony Club serve up an electronically flavored blend of minimal guitars, seductively disinterested vocals, and sexual innuendo. These ascendant U.K. starlets draw on the eccentrically hip early punk sounds of the Slits and smoosh them into a Technicolor blender for a synthpop cocktail that is smashingly delicious to eyes and ears alike.
Justice: "D.A.N.C.E." Sure, DFA was the thing for awhile, but now "Losing My Edge" is just kind of true. Time to move on from James Murphy: time to go to Paris. Following the widespread club success of its "Never Be Alone" EP, this French DJ duo has dropped mixes for Daft, Fatboy, and even Franz Ferdinand. The group's new "Waters of Nazareth" EP pops with hipster-tastic techno fire.
Stateless: "Bloodstream" From Elton John to Chris Martin, Britain has long been obsessed with stadium-size piano rock. These days it also loves turntable cuts made for a cavernous dance club. This Leeds act introduces one Britpop notion to another, underlining soft melodies with programming wizardry.
Grizzly Bear: "Knife" If there's such a thing as lo-fi that's hi-fi, Grizzly Bear makes it. The Brooklyn band's new LP, "Yellow House," pursues dusky Americana as though it's found-object art. The catch is, the Bear has graduated from the spoiled-tape sonics of the movement, reading them as a motif rather than a means.
Marco Polo feat. Masta Ace: "Nostalgia" The Brooklyn boardsmith's solo production debut, "Port Authority," bears its designer's enthusiasm at every turn. Pounding beats convey both urgency and a louche party vibe, while keyboards are refreshingly flouncy. It's organic and affable, but avoids the typical rookie error of piling on tracks.
The Black Ghosts: "Any Way You Choose To Give It" Early childhood terrors and mystical encounters collide into a fogbank of the supernatural in the music of The Black Ghosts. Wiseguys' Theo Keating melds deceptive dance-style tracks with Simian Mobile Disco’s Simon Lord’s sinister lyrics that alchemically transmute the otherwise alluring dance-pop elements.
Datarock: "Computer Camp Love" Dressed in bright red jumpsuits, Datarock rules the stage with a Beastie Boys-meets-Talking Heads style. Trading off between campy rap tracks and legit postpunk jams, this Norwegian posse has raised the bar for today's party music. Catch them at dance club or dive bar near you.
Ror-Shak: "Fate or Faith" A partnership between established DNB producers DB and Stakka, Ror-Shak's kicks stab just as deep, its percussion just as complex, but when it comes to bass, consider it DNB-lite. The focus instead is on the melody and vocals (see: High Contrast, London Elektricity)--original sin to genre purists. If you like the idea of DNB but want to avoid the headache, try on some Ror-Shak.
Midnight Juggernauts: "Into the Galaxy" Somewhere out there, a member of the Aussie-based Presets is sulking, wondering why another of their countrymen had to come along and steal away all the shine. Midnight Juggernauts are straight out of Melbourne, and their nu-disco-meets-indie flavor recalls something like a mashing of Giorgio Moroder, Air, and Phoenix. Way to go, mates.
