LONDON – Weirdcore, the PRETTYBIRD director and visual artist behind Aphex Twin’s trippy visuals, has conceived a new music video teased by Independent label Warp Records on Twitter to reveal the title of new EP ‘Collapse’. Weirdcore’s mesmerizing film questions the AI theory, imagining how AI would see the world on a trip, and “how a simulation could break and go to next level.”
The collaboration between Aphex Twin and Weirdcore arose after they played at the Fuji Rock Festival in 2017. Electronic pioneer Aphex Twin’s logo recently appeared mysteriously at Elephant & Castle in London, and posters designed by Weirdcore have popped up in other locations around the globe including Turin, Hollywood, Tokyo and New York. As well as directing an explosive new music video, Weirdcore conceived the visual aesthetic for the Collapse EP, including artwork and visuals.
Weirdcore has created a psychedelic film to visualise the track ‘Collapse’, featuring projection mapping and CGI that takes you on a rollercoaster ride that reaches a crescendo after 4 minutes. The trippy promo follows in the footsteps of the arresting imagery of Aphex Twin’s 1999 ‘Windowlicker’ music video, directed by Chris Cunningham, which set the precedent for visual bravery. Aphex Twin, AKA Richard D. James, has found another master at visual trickery in the form of Weirdcore, whose wild imagination matches his musical vision. In the ‘Collapse’ video, Weirdcore references Chris Cunningham’s ‘Johnny Rubber’ book, and goes back in the Aphex Twin archives to the ON music video. He explains: “This video is really trying to be a modern version of the ON video, in terms of the use of abstraction and collage.
Weirdcore has created visual worlds for artists including; MIA, Radiohead, Miles Cyrus and Tame Impala. His aesthetic has been described by Dazed as ‘A hyperactive sensory assault’, and despite the critical acclaim his work has received, Weirdcore prefers to remain anonymous behind the LED screens.
Weirdcore said of his experience in making the film: “This was a dream project, not only because I’d been waiting years for Richard (Aphex Twin) to ask me, but also the fact I was Creative Director for the whole campaign (video, artwork, press, ad, visuals). When I joined the PRETTYBIRD roster back in 2014, I was keen to do stills artwork, and this Aphex campaign is the perfect vehicle for that.”
Watch the music video here:
CREDITS:
Director/Animation/VFX – Weirdcore
Executive Producer – Juliette Larthe
Head of Production – Hannah May
Line Producer – Paulette Caletti
Assistance with Photography / Photogrammetry – MafpHew
Assistance 3D Modelling / Sculpting / Asset Creation – Michael Laine
Assistance with C4D Work – Andy Overton
