Playlist: Shapxo

What’s the best music video you’ve seen recently and why? 

I loved Nadia Lee Cohen’s video for Aphex Twin – Korg Funk 5. It feels so weirdly natural, almost like the music itself is breathing through her visuals. Lee Cohen is an extraordinary artist, and this one was truly one of a kind.

What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by?

When I was 11, my father showed me Keane - Everybody’s Changing and I was blown away. 

Such a simple but striking idea, the constant camera flow seamlessly transitioning between different people singing instead of the band. Fifteen years later I still find it mind-blowing. It’s a beautiful, poetic reflection on time and change, so minimal, yet so powerful.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

That’s tough, but I’d highlight Frank Ocean - Nikes and the Anton Tammi directed  Jil – All Your Words. 

Both feel like milestones of a new generation of filmmaking. Tammi’s video was game-changing for the whole Vimeo world back then, and Ocean's film is a stunning essay of his music and his generation. The best music videos, for me, are the ones where picture and music breathe together, and both of these do exactly that.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspiration?

I grew up as a director deeply inspired by Valentin Petit. Every time he dropped something new, it felt like a wave, new tools, new tricks, new ways of pushing filmmaking forward. You could feel his passion, and the way he pushed his team to break boundaries. 

Nowadays, I try not to search for inspiration in the same art form over and over, it can feel like robbery. Instead, I look everywhere: architecture, design, everyday life, even just the way the universe speaks to you at a certain moment. I surround myself with people and things that feel naturally inspiring and keep studying different crafts to stay fresh. Petit’s work carved that hunger into me, as it did for a whole generation of young filmmakers.

What are you listening to at the moment?

My taste is somewhere between The Prodigy and The Beatles, random and windy, haha. I like listening to whatever matches my mood. Recently, I stumbled across This Is What You Are by Mario Biondi, and it’s been my go-to song for a good mood all last week.

Above: The Oura ring.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

I recently discovered the Oura ring. It tracks your heartbeat and sleep quality through an app. Such a simple little piece of jewellry, but it keeps you in tune with your body and recovery. Crazy how something so small can make you rethink how you take care of yourself.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

I’d love to make a video for Yung Lean one day. I grew up listening to him. His poetry feels built out of trauma, beauty, love, and hate for the world. It gives you goosebumps. He created a whole genre for a generation of life-loving, traumatised internet kids, if I can put it that way. He’s just… unique, you know?

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it? 

Honestly, it feels fresher since I moved in, haha. But in reality, it’s changed a lot. Content is produced faster and forgotten faster, so you need to move quick to stay relevant. With AI growing, I think commercial trends will swing back toward raw human emotion and simple but striking ideas. Mass-market stuff might get cheaper and more artificial, but the real high-end brands will go back to valuing great storytelling.