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2011 in Videos

2011 in Videos Sure, music videos aren’t what they used to be since MTV dropped the M, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any bands who give a shit about the clips they produce to accompany their songs. That said I’ve tried to encompass a lot of different styles and music in this list. All types of directors and production values ranging from Canon 7D equipped bare bones budgets to Michel Gondry shooting for Björk. Most definitely it was a good year for the moving image and I suspect it will only get better and more creative in 2012. And if you don’t like the list, tell us which video is your favorite in the comments section below.

#1 Death Grips – Guillotine (It goes Yah) (directed by Flatlander)

My video of the year: “IT GOES IT GOES IT GOES IT GOES IT GOES IT GOES IT GOES IT GOES (karen) GEE-OTINE!!!!”

#2 Dirty Beaches – Lone Runner (directed by Kevin Luna)

Now that’s a music video short film! It’s simply amazing. Best video that doesn’t use special effects that I have seen in ages. Beaches!

#3 No Age – Fever Dreaming (directed by Patrick Daughters)

Clever video for ‘Fever Dreaming’ from No Age’s latest record Everything In Between. One of the weirdest music videos I’ve since all year by far. Stick around until the end for a really fucked up ending.

#4 Metronomy – The Bay (directed by David Wilson)

A fabulous, twinkling summer video from Metronomy with a style that mimics the 70’s style by putting wacky wipe cuts EVERYWHERE. But they manage to pull it off beautifully.

#5 Gang Gang Dance – MindKilla (directed by Shoji Goto)

This video is kind of insane. It’s glitzy disco beat joined by big pumping synths and melted samples. Basically, it’s everything we love about the band.

#6 Katy B – Easy Please Me (dir.?)

‘Easy Please Me’ produced by Magnetic Man was Katy B.’s fourth single off her great On A Mission album. Nice british vibe and she’s really qt.

#7 Herman Dune – Tell Me something I don’t know (directed by Toben Seymour)

Starring Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and a super cute fuzzy blue yeti. Thank you for the great tunes Herman Dune. Looking forward for 2012.

#8 Björk – Crystalline (directed by Michel Gondry)

Seasoned music video auteur, Michel Gondry returns back to the big stage with a typically arresting video, replete with spellbinding psychedelic hallucinations of fantastical organic processes.

#9 Holy Other – Know Where (footage from “Black Garden” by Dietmar Brehms)

Holy Other’s ‘Know Where’ seeps out slowly with strangely pitched voices among the ghostly synths. Magic…

#10 Tyler the Creator – Yonkers’ (directed by Wolf Haley)

If I asked you who Tyler The Creator was in December 2010, only a handful of people would know. If I asked you in March, most of you would know. Tyler, along with OFWGKTA, created a whole new Kill People, Burn Shit, Fuck School subculture. You may not agree that this is Odd Future’s best song of this year, but without this song, you might not of heard the others. On top of all that, the music video.

Published December 29, 2011.