Taeyong discovers 070 Shake
Taeyong's love for Neo Surf and its music video is testament to his growing appreciation for the indie arts
Taeyong’s most recent insta story (2/2/22) shows us a video of his train journey with music added from 070 Shake called ‘Guilty Conscience’. This excited many fans who are familiar with Danielle Balbuena’s music and cemented Taeyong as a fan as well. Balbuena’s piercing lyrics and soaring vocals make for a heart-wrenching track which also found its way to Kevin Parker’s studio prompting a Tame Impala remix.
However, this wasn’t the first time Taeyong made references to 070 Shake. In his recent W Korea interview, he was asked about what song he’s recently been listening to that had impressed him.
“…070 Shake's 'Neo Surf.' I came across the music video first and the free direction and nature as the background were so cool. It's futuristic but the direction that brings out nature combines well, so every time I watch it, the world of imagination unfolds.”
Fans already familiar with the MV were not surprised. The MV was directed by Romain Gavras son of well acclaimed Greek-French film director Costa Gavras. Costa Gavras is well known for his Academy award and Palme d’Or winning films, ‘Z’ and ‘Missing’ and Romain Gavras, is a well established French film maker specializing in film and music video production. He has already directed some well known artists’ music videos including The Last Shadow Puppets “The Age of the Understatement” a cinematic journey reminiscent of the 1960s, and Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild”. He was also the executive producer to Mark Ronson’s “Nothing breaks like a heart” music video.
However, it’s his most recent offering that captured Taeyong’s attention and heart. Co-produced by Iconoclast and Onassis Culture for the Onassis Foundation, the YouTube comments alone are indicative of the impact the song and MV has had on viewers and listeners alike.
“I’m 65 years old. Something in the whole vibe of this song found a hidden part of the soul of my youth from about 1960 and it haunts me. Given the age of these artists I cannot begin to imagine what they were channeling to create this. I'll just accept the magic.”
“I haven’t liked a music video as much as this one ever. So impressive visuals and lyrics. This is pure art. Her voice is amazing.”
“This could easily be a movie, the visuals were unbelievably satisfying teamed with an amazing soundtrack.”
“Wtf the visuals are insane!!! Shake's vocals too”
“This is the one of the most amazing and beautiful music videos I’ve ever seen and 070 shake is just incredible. I’m high as f**k right now and I wanna cry 😂😭”
“This sound is the feeling everyone wants to feel forever”
The video begins with a definition of the word ‘generation’- that being, all of the people born and living at the same time, regarded collectively. The camera then zooms into a close up of someone’s eye with a distinct eyeball- what appears to be a blue and white Greek flag.
As an Australian with Greek background, I instantly felt a connection. Curiously, I wondered if this was an homage to Gavras’s paternal lineage or whether it was symbolic of a broader theme about life, liberty and the roots of our modern civilization. Nostalgia for a time long gone predicates the intro melody as it begins. It’s soothing, melodic and visually beautiful as we see three figures walking towards what appear to be ancient ruins in the sunset. Those ruins of course, aren’t just any old ruins. They are the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, a 2500-year-old Doric temple devoted to Greek God Poseidon, God of the Sea.
The clip then blackens showing us only the words ‘ATHENS 2034’ in white. From this moment we get immersed into a futuristic post apocalyptic dystopia juxtaposed with some stunning imagery. The visuals are all from specific locations in Athens, Elefsina and Corinth and are all contemporary representations of these sites albeit set to a future theme. We see two men bathing in what appears to be water from a container against a backdrop of an abandoned stadium complete with overgrown shrubs and weeds. If anyone understands the impact the 2004 Olympic Games had on Athens they would weep knowing the cost borne by the Greek people hosting those games only to now see those stadiums in a state of dilapidation and abandonment. These images are real- they’re not there simply for artistic relevance. This of course adds to the sadness when theses images are coupled with such an uplifting melody.
We then see a figure draped in a flag walking along an abandoned rig with the Elefsina refinery in the background which contrasts with the beauty of the shining twilight sea.
We then move to a figure walking along the abandoned Ellinikon airport complete with graffitied buildings and an abandoned Olympic Airways plane in the background. That is the boy from the start with the piercing Greek flag eyes. As he looks up to the sky, the essence of hope is paramount.
Figures dancing on a marble quarry add to the post industrial aesthetic and are once again juxtaposed with a haunting melody and vocal.
When Balbuena’s vocals commence, we see her smoking and gliding along the water in the sunset, carefree and immersed in the scenery.
The visual of hover surfers gracefully gliding through the Corinth canal and out into the Aegean is stunning. Gliding beautifully past an abandoned old ship listed on its side adds to the sharp contrast between the natural beauty and post modern decay.
Throughout the entire clip we hear a haunting nostalgic tune that immerses us into this world that is both aesthetically beautiful and jarring. Apocalyptic and nihilistic yet hopeful. The decaying modernity surrounded by the beauty of nature particularly the glorious Aegean and antiquity seen by flashes back to Cape Sounion make for a heart wrenching contrast. The music and the MV speak to our souls- this isn’t about Greece itself although it’s even more gut wrenching when you recognize the locations and understand the culture. It’s about life. It’s about hope amongst the death and decay that surrounds us.
I’m not sure what exactly drew Taeyong into this clip but if it’s what we’ve all seen, I’m not surprised his imagination soars every time he watches it. One day, I hope Taeyong gets to visit Greece. It’s a magical place full of ancient energy slamming up against a quickly disintegrating and decaying modernity. Athens is as ugly, dirty and graffitied as it is beautiful, inspiring and hopeful.
I hope one day Taeyong gets to see it with his own eyes. I’m certain he’d appreciate the art and culture there.
@taeoxo_nct
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050662381528
www.youtube.com