Skins UK. Image Courtesy of Company Pictures and Storm Dog Films.
Everyone who is into fashion knows Y2k is out, and Indie Sleaze is in – and that for quite some time now. That means affordable, messy, and lethargic looks with wild hair, dark makeup, sneaker heels, and (for the advanced ones) even skinny jeans – just like Kesha, the Olsen twins, or Kate Moss used to do it.
But with all the current TikTok trends you might forget that Indie Sleaze is not only a reoccurring fashion trend that romanticizes party girls and drug use. In the late 2000s, even before the Olsen twins thought about wearing worn-down handbags, indie rock bands from the US and the UK started to visually reference the style of the artists from the 60s, 70s, and 80s who they were musically influenced by.
To remember and celebrate these indie bands, SLEEK curated a selection of the ten best Indie Sleaze music videos that make us melancholic, sing along, give us goosebumps, creep us out, but also make us dream in their very own artistic way.
„D.A.N.C.E.“ by Justice (2007)
Whoever was into electronic music in 2007 knows this song: D.A.N.C.E., the breakthrough of the Parisian music duo Justice who created the song as a homage to Michael Jackson. Therefore, if you closely listen, you can hear how D.A.N.C.E. recites famous songs like P.Y.T., Black or White, und Workin’ Day and Night. One of the best things about this song is however its catchy, pop-art-inspired music video: In a cropped frame it features t-shirts in black and white whose colorful prints constantly move and morph, securing a nomination for the 2007 MTV Video Music Award as “Video of the Year”.
“XXXO” by M.I.A. (2010)
XXXO is a song, that shows the cheesy pop side of recording artist, rapper, singer, producer, and activist M.I.A. – and we love it! The synth-pop song celebrated its world premiere on radio in 2010 and exhibits a Tamil folk music-influenced melody with elements of techno and tribal music. With her music, M.I.A. often reflects her rootless upbringing as a Sri Lankan refugee who grew up in London. The playful lyrics however are based on M.I.A.’s creation of a sex symbol and on romance in the digital age. Therefore, the music video features beautiful stars that frame the graphics, two-dimensional flowers and swans, leopard prints, English words written in Arabic Alphabet, and references to social networking platforms such as MySpace and YouTube. And in the center of all of it is M.I.A. – performing like a goddess from the 80s.
“Paris Is Burning” by Ladyhawke (2008)
One of the leading lights of the 80s synth-pop revival of the late 2000s was the, in New Zealand born, artist Ladyhawke: Her songs always were about real-life emotions with a touch of glam-rock and grunge that was inspired by other popular artists such as Cyndi Lauper, Nirvana, and Pat Benatar. Paris Is Burning, the second single of her self-titled debut studio album, is probably one of her most known songs. The music video shows Ladyhawke walking through a dark street with a wolf ahead of her. Her journey gets disrupted by falling feathers, electric sparks, bits of plastic, a drunk man as well as people who follow her. But in the end, she finally walks into the bright light in the distance with the wolf beside her – a dark yet dreamy and relatable story about the depths of being human, wishes, doubts, and a screaming, burning life.
“Oblivion” by Grimes (2012)
Oblivion von Grimes is a catchy blend of electropop, synth-pop, and dream pop that transforms personal trauma into an anthem about empowerment and strength: Inspired by her own feelings of fear and paranoia while walking alone at night and other personal experiences, Grimes managed to reimagine the violent context of being a woman, into a light-hearted, happy pop sound. The music video, shot at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium and McGill University’s Molson Stadium, features the singer amidst a largely male crowd at a sporting event with an outfit that seems shy, sweet, and feminine – While creating Oblivion, Grimes drew inspiration from the Japanese archetype of a female protagonist whose appearance is small and cute but is physically powerful. An example of this archetype would be Gogo Yubari from Tarantino’s Kill Bill – a girl in a school uniform who cuts someone’s head off with a sword.
“Where Is My Mind?” by Pixies (1988)
This song literally gives the chills once you hear the intro yet it has maybe the cutest background story: Where Is My Mind? was written by Black Francis, the frontman of the American alternative rock band Pixies, after he was scuba diving in the Caribbean and a tiny fish tried to chase him. Despite not having an official music video, the track gained a lot of attention and popularity after it was featured in the final scene of the movie Fight Club. Today, Fans from all around the world create their own adaptions using clips from the movie and footage of the band performing on stage. But a few years ago, the Pixies released an official lyric video that complements the song’s interpersonal and ethereal atmosphere with dreamy and blurred images in a retro palette of warm brown, orange, and red, as well as cold blue, white, and black. The motifs are the silhouettes of dancing women, or abstract shapes and movements that remind of flames, water, or burned paper.
“Call on Me” by Eric Prydz (2004)
In an Indie Sleaze music video listing this song definitely can’t be missed: Call on Me which was co-written and produced by Swedish DJ Eric Prydz, skyrocketed to fame with its memorable, colorful, and fun music video. Filmed at the Laban Dance Centre in Deptford, London, it features several young women and a man performing aerobics in a sexual, maybe even vulgar way. The dancers are wearing tight, bright 80s-inspired outfits and are led by the Australian choreographer Deanne Berry in a leotard. If you haven’t noticed yet: The music video of Call on Me mimics the iconic scene from the movie Perfect, mit John Travolta und Jamie Lee Curtis. After the release of the music video in 2004, its popularity was so immense that it led to the publication of a feature-length aerobics DVD that features the dancer from Call on Me performing to various dance tracks.
“Boys Wanna Be Her” by Peaches (2006)
The glam-punk anthem Boys Wanna Be Her was written and recorded by the Canadian artist Peaches in 2006 and is one of the songs in this listing with the best fashion: high heels with platforms or as over-the-knee-boots, tight metallic outfits, collars, and chokers decorated with silver diamonds, sunglasses, big hair and heavy futuristic makeup shining in vibrant pink lights while Peaches and The Herms are performing on stage. The music video definitely adds an abstract, strong touch once the artists start hitting themselves theatrically until they bleed – A must-watch for us.
“Mind Mischief” by Tame Impala (2013)
Tame Impala might be one of the most impressive indie music projects ever: the Australian psychedelic rock band around the multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker is known for its experimental sound. Parker mostly writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project’s music just like he did for the song Mind Mischief. It’s the fourth track of Tame Impala’s album Lonerism and Parker wrote the lyrics and performed all of the instruments and vocals by himself. The music video for Mind Mischief was filmed on the premises of Ashlynss School in England and features a male student fantasizing about his female teacher. Besides sexual scenes in a car in front of the school, the second part of the video shows psychedelic fantasy animations of the same car flying into a galaxy of stars where their bodies unite in an ethereal dance – until the boy is thrown out of the car.
“Hustler” by Simian Mobile Disco (2006)
The song Hustler perfectly encapsulates the sound and vision of the English electronic Duo Simian Mobile Disco: With strong house beats and lead vocals by Char Johnson, the music video is as intriguing as the song itself and features a group of girls playing the children’s game telephone. As the whispered messages are passed around the circle, the game takes an unexpected turn, and the girls start kissing each other in succession. Therefore, Hustler adds a provocative twist to Simian Mobile Disco’s identity which was shaped after the duo formed in 2003 and quickly gained attention for their analogue production.
“Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2009)
A werewolf, glitter, vibrant lights, and a song that everybody knows: “Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a pulsating mixture of dance, rock, new wave, and disco and was released nine years after the indie rock band was formed in New York. You also might know the song from the movie Project X, for which Heads Will Roll was remixed by Canadian DJ A-Trak. But the grotesque, creepy yet funny video of the original song is definitely a must-watch and highlight of this movie listing: It showcases the band performing at an underground venue when a werewolf appears on stage and dances in a way that is reminiscent of Michael Jackson. But as a light flashes, the werewolf transforms and kills most of the audience. The video, which parodies horror conventions with red glitter and confetti instead of blood, ends with Karen O continuing to sing despite being decapitated. Because of this visually striking, ironic, and artistic scenery, Heads Will Roll was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video.