Alex Banks - Tephra EP
Official artwork and animated music video for the Brighton-based producer Alex Banks' latest EP
which has been released on Max Cooper's Mesh label.
Tephra was only digitally released. The following print pieces were made for presentation purpose and cannot be purchased officially.
The main reason during the concept creating process was to base the video and its visual mood consistently on the music. The 2 month long period that Alex spent on the Canary Islands feels undoubtedly on his music. It was obvious that the visual language of the video is going to come from the unique essence that Island of Lanzarote represents. According to the volcanic attributes it’s a rare otherwordly colorful place that amazes with its different beauties from time to time. Reflecting to the environmental characteristics the slowly flowing lava appears as the key visual element that resonates to the melancholic vibe of the music. In the video the lava and its surrounding’s smooth and organic character is distorted into geometric shapes. It’s intensified by the constantly changing colours and textures as well as the lava’s morphing into chrome fluid.
The main purpose was to create a visuality where Lanzarote’s epic landscape mirrors reality, however escaping from it a new and interesting abstract world is built. Constant searching for harmony and balance between these too is the core idea.
Single cover - vinyl prototype
Stills from the music video
As well as every project I’m working on with deep focus, Tephra has also started with a foundation process of collecting inspiration and spending quality time with useful researches. After this preparation I was able to step more confidently into the phase of building up a coherent concept, that led into the actual development of the design with pure experimentation. In the first round I had to make the still cover of the song so I was working in square ratio then the next requirement was to interpret it into the full moving HD artwork. Since the whole preparation and carry out process was made in an animated environment the experimentation and the final choice of the most appropriate cover was truly exciting. On the other hand, the visuals were born from an already moving phase so I wasn’t obliged to struggle to put movements into a static picture later. After the finalisation of the cover I had to set the real dramaturgical flow of the video by considering what type of visuals resonate coherently to an exact piece of music. Despite the base visuals were already moving I had to make targeted modifications, new compositions and specified animation details to fit into certain moments and express fluently what can be heard there.
Tephra EP cover - vinyl prototype
Behind the scenes:
Thanks for watching!
Music by Alex Banks:
Record Label - Mesh
Visuals and artworks created by Tamás Birinyi
Special thanks to Anna Takács.
© Mesh 2020
