AnOther speaks to one-half of Brooklyn-based self-described “surrealist pop” duo about the story behind her fascinating dance moves in the video for forthcoming single Amanaemonesia...
"The song for Amanaemonesia started with an instrumental that had a very distinct feel to it. To us, it was very psychotic and also commercial, in the sense of an advertisement; the chords sounded like a jingle. When writing the lyrics I wanted to mask the commercial aspect of it but it felt wrong; instead, we played it up, creating a commercial for nothing at all.
My first idea for the video was hand gestures – hieroglyphics meets American sign language – that would illustrate the lyrics along with subtitles. I wanted people to know what the lyrics were and I also liked this aspect of it sounding like a commercial but also being educational. My father, who loves ballet, showed me Bolero by Maurice Bejart. Having never really taken any interest or explored dance before, I was surprised at how moved I was by the piece; I had never thought ballet could be insane or that repetitive or that minimalistic. My idea extended from using just hand motions to including my whole body. Using that same educational aspect, I wanted there to be an almost yoga, interpretive dance quality to the video but formal in that alien setting of the 1960s and 70s. I took ballet classes because I had no idea how to point my feet or stand up straight or anything, and Pilates and ‘Gaga’ classes which are about channelling energy and feeling and moving in a kinetic and liquid way, (the polar opposite to ballet).
"My first idea for the video was hand gestures – hieroglyphics meets American sign language – that would illustrate the lyrics along with subtitles"
Most of the dance in the video was composed in these empty choreography spaces that I rented out with mirrors all around and a skylight. I would set up my iPod and tripod, and video tape for two to four hours at a time and then I’d watch the video and work out what worked. I slowly started getting a sense of what it would feel like being the character, what the sense of humour and what the relationship between sexuality and a kind of grotesque slimy movement was going to be. I wanted it to feel very dramatic and theatrical with the red and black, sort of David Lynch with a reference to Tango, Salsa and Latin dance."
Chairlift are the Brooklyn-based self-described “surrealist pop” duo, made up of Caroline Polachek (songwriting, vocals, tambourine, synthesizer) and Patrick Wimberly (drums, bass guitar, keyboard, production). Their second album Something was released earlier this year to critical acclaim and features the forthcoming single Amanaemonesia, due out June 4. Choreographed by Polachek (despite no prior dance education) over the course of two months of dance classes and studio time, the video includes an extensive series of moves conceived entirely by the beguiling songstress – a selection of which are featured in the gallery to this piece. Working with friend and stylist Kathryn Typaldos, the pair designed the custom-made bodysuit Polachek wears throughout with the intention of making something that was “confrontational and retro, and yet futuristic at the same time.” The video was directed by Polachek and Tom Hines, and art directed by Alejandro Cardenas of Proenza Schouler.
Chairlift's album Something is out now and the single Amanaemonesia is released June 4 via Young Turks.
Text by Lucia Davies
