ROYKSOPP - Remind Me

Over the past few weeks I've been submitting resumes to different companies all over the world. I'll go anywhere for a chance at a brighter future - preferably one that isn't 35 below. I've been struggling with the idea of returning back to Japan for a threepeat. I miss that place so damn much. I miss the food and foul stench of Osakan streets. I miss the tacky cosmopolitan pleasures I took for granted and are non-existent in Winkler, Manitoba. I miss my friends and my freedom. I miss my money and my music (I know the Japanese music scene is passing me by...). Hell, I even miss my damn job. Despite my greater efforts I have yet to receive a single reply from a prospective employer. I refuse to admit defeat just yet.

Thinking about the past makes me think about people who have had an impact on my life. Today's video reminds me of someone who did just that. Röyksopp may be a bit of a one trick pony and this track isn't exactly new but in my opinion rises above the rest and there's a small spot in my heart reserved for this song. A small spot because I got a lot of songs in there.

Officially formed in 1998, Röyksopp is an electronic music duo based in Bergen, Norway composed of Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. The popularity of the duo's first album entitled, 'Melody A.M.' was boosted by several graphically experimental music videos. Today's video for 'Remind Me', an infographic-styled video by French company H5, won the 2002 MTV Europe Music Award for best music video. A well deserved prize if you ask me, if ever there was a video that inspired me to fire up Adobe Illustrator and 'go for it' this would be it. It's constantly fighting for the top place on my best CG video of all time (tho Groovisions produced 'Rodeo Machine' is still in the contention).

Somehow I don't think I need to say who I dedicate this video to. I think anyone who is in the know already knows. Enjoy.

HALFBY - Rodeo Machine/Screw the Plan

Possibly on my top ten vids of all time, today's video is Halfby's Rodeo Machine/Screw the Plan.

Halfby, whose real name is Takahiro Takahashi, is on his way to becoming Japan's biggest breakbeat giant. He recently left Second Royal records for the much bigger and presumably plushier arms of Toy's Factory. Initially, there seemed to be some concern by fans that moving from a minor to a major label might compromise the unique sound of his 'Green Hours' album, but this video puts those critics in their places!

'Rodeo Machine' is from the 'Green Hours' album, while 'Screw the Plan' is off Halfby's major label effort of the same name. Both songs have a unique sound, and true 'Rodeo Machine' is probably the wonkier, strangely cajun-infused track, but 'Screw the Plan' is a full-on party track that features UK's Olympic Lifts. What I like about Halfby is he sounds so western-influenced while not seeming deliberately intent on catering to western tastes. Especially on the latter track Fatboy Slim comparisons could be made but we all know Fatboy no longer makes REAL club tracks...

The computer animated video couldn't be more suited to the music and may go down as my most memorable video of all time. I saw it one time at Tower Records and two years later I still pined to see it again some day. The video was produced by the Tokyo-based pop design collective groovisions. (I still display my Brockman figures with pride!) It's amazing just how much expression can be conveyed in the uniform human templates marching on the screen and in my opinion these videos represent groovisions strongest work to date!