simple pictures

OUR TOP FIFTEEN MUSIC VIDEOS OF 2013

15 - Music Videos Without Music - Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop
The only way this video should be watched. Strengthening the already fantastic imagery by illuminating the vacuous bizarreness of a contemporary celebrity figure, such as Miley Cyrus, by replacing the music with diegetic sound to both humorous and tragic effect.
http://vimeo.com/71323248

14 - Waterpark
A showcase for refined and restrained cinematography, sound design and editing. A truly immersive experience only worth watching with headphones. This is poetic stuff. Imagine Kooyanisqatsi went on vacation at the end of summer and took some valium.
http://vimeo.com/64521105

13 - Spiritualized - I Am What I Am
At first appearance a meandering journey with no real pay off or direction. This could not be further from the truth. This really matures with repeat viewing.
http://vimeo.com/71926523

12 - Kanye West - Bound 2
We fucking love Kanye.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBAtAM7vtgc

11 - Jon Hopkins - Open Eye Signal

Stunning cinematography from our favourite, Steve Annis. This crafts an engaging journey which - like the track itself - just keeps going and going. Pure music video nirvana.
http://vimeo.com/65156045

10 - Is Tropical - Dancing Anymore
This is fucking cool, funny and executed brilliantly.
http://vimeo.com/64378881

9 - Oneohtrix Point Never - Still Life

One of the most impressive envisionings of a track this year. This is wonderfully, nightmarishly and appropriately bold and contemporary filmmaking.
https://vimeo.com/75534042

8 - Flying Lotus - Wildcat
Another brilliant project from the collaboration which brought us last years memorable, "Until the Quiet Comes." The harrowing imagery here is elevated to an immersive experience by both the original score from Flying Lotus and the editing. It strikes a tone of beautifully haunting, heightened realism.
https://vimeo.com/66703600

7 - Grizzly Bear - Gun Shy
We love Grizzly Bear and there could not be a more fitting set of utterly bizzare and engrossing images.

http://vimeo.com/56970515

6 - Tame Impala - Mind Mischief
A damn well directed vision of schoolboy fantasy for your sexy teacher. The combination of a period setting, contemporary approach and a psychedelic finale is a perfect match for the sound of Tame Impala. Also, anything that combines live action and animation this well will always get a lot of love from everyone at Simple Pictures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgK_Er7WZVg

5 - Raffertie - Build Me Up
An expertly blended mix of filmmaking styles. This draws the viewer in through initially establishing itself as a documentary, crafting an emotional sincerity in a sociological context which then empowers the finale of potently symbolic, surreal imagery.
http://vimeo.com/65884235

4 - Atoms for Peace -Before Your Very Eyes

This is not only jaw-droppingly impressive on a technical level, but the visionary direction here of marrying such astoundingly perfect imagery with the sonic textures of the track, makes for a stunningly rich, audio visual treat. A masterclass in non-narrative, music video filmmaking of the purest form.
http://vimeo.com/77253629

3 - Gesaffelstein - Hate Or Glory

This is special. These Directors are amongst our favourites of all time. Fleur and Manu inject this project with an original perspective of US gang culture. Taking the classic themes of greed, power and violence to form a surreal narrative harking back to Greek tragedy, whilst also firmly cementing itself in contemporary culture through the use of cinematography, casting and locations. What's more, replacing the diegetic sound of a gun shot with the start of the track, was a simple and amazing stroke of music video filmmaking.
http://vimeo.com/75029458

2 - Scratch Massive - Waiting for a Sign
This does everything we could ever hope to achieve through the medium of narrative music videos. Utterly cinematic and thriving with atmosphere. This is an expertly crafted vision to match a track so cool it ain't true.
http://vimeo.com/57215373

1 - MGMT - Cool Song No.2
For us, the most extraordinary piece of visionary filmmaking in the music video medium this year. The cinematic scope that is achieved here, through painting such a unique and powerfully surreal world, expertly grounded by strong performance and characters that are as enigmatic as they are intriguing. This is about as good as it gets for us as Simple Pictures.
http://vimeo.com/74785561