There are a lot of videos coming out of Austin these days, so we’ve decided to make life easier for you by compiling some of the most notable into a recurring feature called Out of Focus.
Lou Rebecca “Tonight”
Electropop idol Lou Rebecca has swiftly established herself as one of Austin’s leading aesthetes, with songs and visuals that highlight her Romantic sensibilities and balletic approach. Rebecca’s single “Tonight” was a standout in the Holodeck Records catalog last year, and now that the EP it comes from is available, Rebecca has released a captivating self-directed video, further expanding her trademark 9mm watercolor style. Dropping Rebecca and her bandmates into the lush scenery of the greenbelt as well as the more expansive terrain of the Gulf Coast, “Tonight” has the look of an early Duran Duran clip mixed with French New Wave lo-fi simplicity.
Sertified “Straight Out (ft. Sy Ari Da Kid)”
“Straight Out” is one of the harder moments on Sertified’s excellent 2017 LP See Ya Soon, so it’s not too shocking to see it get a purple filtered street-set video courtesy of Stack Moses. Cutting between shots of Sertified, Sy Ari Da Kid and crew posturing in a vacant lot and a purplefied Sertified going apeshit against a yellow screen, “Straight Out” is a jagged contrast to the rest of the See Ya Soon’s videos, which have mostly emphasized Sertified as a fun loving guy who just wants to boost his friends. It’s refreshing to see Sertified return to the style and swagger of previous classics like “Back 2 the Block,” with “Straight Out” serving as a potent reminder that Sertified is just as comfortable going in on the competition as he is putting himself out there as a cheerful everyman.
Popper Burns “Sun Tan” (NSFW)
Few music videos match up with an artist’s sensibilities as well as MJ Haha’s clip for Popper Burns’ “Sun Tan.” The video feels like a trip inside the collective brain of Popper Burns, with mysterious body painted figures worshipping Patty Melt while skeletons and masked mutants shuffle and contort in the background. Fun, bizarre and tense in equal measure, “Sun Tan” is a pitch perfect representation of the Popper Burns way of life.
Max Wells “Holy Ghost”
A mix of charmingly colorful and creepy, Carl Wright’s video for “Holy Ghost” continues Max Wells’ reign as one of the most visually astute and consistent emcees in the Austin hip hop scene. The burnt out backdrop suits Max Wells’ wasteland rapper style perfectly, even more so when the Pac-Man ghost sketches and handheld video drop in. Wells is most at home straddling the line between playful and menacing, his goofy demeanor masking a hyper confident lyrical approach and a voice that can turn from breezy to coarse without missing a beat.
Nick Hanover got his degree from Disneyland, but he’s the last of the secret agents and he’s your man. Which is to say you can find his particular style of espionage here at Ovrld as well as Loser City, where he mostly writes about comics. You can also flip through his archives at Comics Bulletin, which he is formerly the Co-Managing Editor of, and Spectrum Culture, where he contributed literally hundreds of pieces for a few years. Or if you feel particularly adventurous, you can always witness his odd .gif battles with his friends and enemies on twitter: @Nick_Hanover
