Rightfully already one of the best music videos of the year is the wicked, intricated, sophisticated and mazy video, directed by Mikael Schutz, for the mesmerizing electro noir banger “Hallali”, the new single of Montreuil‘s musician Adrien Vîô, AKA Viot.
His dark, energetic and sensual electronic sound, as well as inspired by the synth-punk legends Suicide, the psych-electro experimentalism of Richard Fearless’ Death In Vegas, and the poetical lyricism of Nick Cave, is fully rooted in the French electro-pop / synth-pop / ‘chanson francaise’ heritage, (artists like Alain Bashung, Jacno, Daniel Darc, Etienne Daho just to name a few), we were recently talking about on the occasion of After L’Amour new EP.
“Hallali” is the huntsman’s bugle sounded at different times of the hunt. A song about, ritual, fear, and ambiguity. A murderous demonic game is played, and it becomes uncertain who and what is being hunted. With,“violence and doubt in the bestiary,” and the quest being about “your deviances”, it is possible humans are hunting each other. A tall tale, a fable, a reality? We cannot be sure, but one thing is certain the end is dire. “My eyes closed, my body slit, my guts laid bare. I bow on the final notes heard from the Hallali.” Harrowing words that will linger in your mind for a long time to come!
A deep haunting bugle noise vibrates as calm anticipatory chanting begins. Ominous wavering synths create an atmosphere of tension, fear, and death. The chant ends with a distorted demonic voice saying, “sounds the Hallali.” Sonic clashes and foreboding synths quicken with clapping back beats and ritualistic drumming like hooves, “Do you hear the crooks galloping?” The vocals become sure and powerful as if becoming a beast himself. Drum beats clash, slash and whip into a sudden silence. Strangled synth noises rise and fall as if trying to scream. The vehement voice announces “We do not change the ritual.” Abrupt silence pierces the fluidity as pure evil speaks “watch me beg you to finish.” Truly a magnificent harmonious and cohesive fusion of sonical and lyrical craftsmanship!
The superbly haunting music-video directed by Mikael Schutz, freely inspired by the works of British artists Gilbert & George, begins with a screen divided into six segments. A different pewter figure is in each, a huntsman, a dog, 3 women, and a rifle. A disturbing aura is created using shadows, pulsating red and black lights and segmented windows to dissect, disfigure, and modify the forms. Faces and bodies with blood, mud, and various states of undress mutate into primitive, tribal, beast-like humans: blurring the lines (literally) between what is human and what is animal. Both hedonistic smiles and tortured, crying pleading eyes haunt us as the video progresses. Ending with a ferocity, the characters furiously scream and claw in their animal forms as if trying to escape.
An overwhelming audio-visual assault to the senses and the body.
Keep up with Viot :
Astrid K. Photographie
