Weird and Witchy

Why am I so drawn to the weird and witchy? I think it's because I've always believed in the magic of the everyday. All around us an alchemy shifts and shapes itself, crackling through the air. We're all part of some magnetic field where our auras guide and nurture. In other words, we go through our days -- mundane events like stopping at the mini-mart for a gallon of milk, typing an email at work, paying bills, and walking the dog coexist alongside epic events like big breakups, family conflicts, world wars, and spiritual quests -- but mixed in with our actions are our *intentions*. That's why certain musical artists (Tori Amos, Florence + the Machine) speak so clearly and loudly to me; they are tapped into this same way of seeing the world and they express it both sonically and visually, through their music and through their videos & album art, respectively.

Just in the past few weeks, I've fallen for two new artists -- the band Austra and the solo act Zola Jesus. For those of you who like your Bjork with a side of Eurythmics and a dessert of Goldfrapp will appreciate these gals and their key players.


Here's a video for Austra's "Spellwork" off their debut album Feel It Break:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuoQgkPKplQ&ob=av2e

And here's the video for Zola Jesus' "Vessel" off her album Conatus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY9WUZZrTpw


Both these videos have this almost '80s vibe to them, in their own unique ways. "Spellwork" harkens back to Ladyhawke (the film, not the singer, though I love her too and could easily include her in this blog post. Her new album comes out March 20th, FYI). Watching this video drops you into some pagan, woodsy ritual where danger meets magic, and witches dance, summoning their power through hedonism and seduction and taking chances. "Vessel," on the other hand, seems extracted straight out of Conan the Barbarian, as if Zola Jesus is a modern-day Valeria, some warrior sorceress on an adventure in the high desert. Both videos are earthy and elemental in theme while using electronica and techno pulses to cast their incantations.

Enjoy! I sure am.