Hasta La Ideas

Music streaming service Rdio has launched a year-long weekly campaign pairing new music with original videos by visual artists, designers and animators.

Each Tuesday, the site will release a specially commissioned 15-second clip inspired by a track from a new album release as part of its New Music Weekly Campaign.

The project was announced at Chicago’s Pitchfork music festival, where Rdio aired UK design studio I Love Dust’s video inspired by local band Gauntlet Hair’s track, Human Nature (above) and was officially launched last week with a spot by New York-based directing duo Holbrooks featuring gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello’s song Lost Innocent World (below).

Holbrooks’ video was followed yesterday with a slightly psychedelic animation by Canadian studio Tendril, inspired by a jazz and reggae influenced track from Californian singer Michael Franti (below). The spots will appear on YouTube and digital banners and at music festivals, and will direct viewers to the site’s new music section.

“Art and music have always been intertwined as creative avenues for expression. The New Music Weekly series is a fresh and engaging way to be introduced to independent musicians while simultaneously being exposed to tremendously talented visual artists,” says Rdio marketing manager Shana Fong.

Tendril and Holbrooks are signed to New York production company Blacklist, who will be working on the project throughout the year. Other Blacklist artists taking part in the series include Swedish production collective Upper First and Paris-based design and animation outfit Wizz.

“Rdio came to us with an incredibly open brief – to create something visually stimulating to pair with new music being launched on the site. Holbrooks and Tendril were interesting for the first round because they both have such unique yet contrasting styles: Holbrooks’s work is illustrative and handmade, whereas Tendril’s work is often more slick and design based,” says Blacklist managing director Adina Sales.

Andrew Linsk, an executive producer at Blacklist, says the campaign is a rare opportunity for directors to express themselves “without being burdened by strict marketing objectives.”

Tracks are selected by Rdio but Blacklist were allowed input to ensure “a great audio visual sync,” says Sales. “The process has been very free and exciting, [and has allowed] directors and animators the chance to work largely unencumbered. They produce work that is indicative not only of their style but of their unique point of view,” she adds.

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