Hasta La Ideas

London-based CR blog readers looking for some unusual early January entertainment should check out a music video-cum-sculpture for The xx, currently on show at the Vinyl Factory.

The sculpture is the brainchild of Partizan director Saam Farahmand, who is keen to push the boundaries of what music videos can offer. “Music videos are a 2D visual interpretation of a song,” he explains. “We are interested in creating spaces that exist as a 3D physical interpretation of a song or an album, and that is what we have created for the album xx.”

The piece consists of three large audio-visual units that are displayed in the space, appearing somewhat like giant iPods. Each contains a film of one of the three members of The xx, shot by Farahmand, as they play through their eponymous debut album. Alongside displaying the beautiful films, the units also emit a lightshow that reacts to the music. The overall affect is simple yet compelling.

“It shares sensibilities with art installations, but it should not be considered in this context,” continues Farahmand. “It is in essence a physical music video, a looping shrine to the album that you cannot compress, send or turn off. We have to understand that these pop-up ‘rooms’ and ‘spaces’ should and will become as commonplace as music videos, bridging the gap until we have the technology to ‘stream’ a 3D experience through our home computer as if it was a YouTube clip. The xx are the perfect ambassadors for the medium. Their music is mesmerising, and deeply physically affecting.”

The installation will be on show at The Vinyl Factory (accessed via Phonica record store on 51 Poland Street, W1) until Tuesday, January 12. In addition, The Vinyl Factory has created a deluxe vinyl version of The xx’s album to celebrate the event, which is on sale at Phonica. The package will include three prints of stills taken from Farahmand’s footage, one of each band member, signed by each.

More info is at thevinylfactory.com.