In this increasÂingÂly atomÂized world of music, how does one get a new record release noticed above the hum of the interÂnet? If you’re BeyÂonÂcĂ©, you just drop the whole thing unanÂnounced and watch the media play catch up. If you’re not BeyÂonÂcĂ© you might conÂsidÂer rapÂper Aesop Rock’s tacÂtic.
This week, the wordÂsmithiÂest of hip hop artists and aniÂmaÂtor Rob Shaw released a shot-by-shot remake of StanÂley Kubrick’s The ShinÂing, creÂatÂed with miniaÂtures and made with what looks like spare change as a budÂget. All of which plays as backÂground video to a full stream of The ImposÂsiÂble Kid, Aesop Rock’s sevÂenth album and his first in four years.
Rob Shaw creÂatÂed the hipÂster rats skits for PortÂlandia as well as videos for They Might Be Giants and preÂviÂous Aesop Rock tracks, but this ShinÂing remake is someÂthing else. First you notice the gleeÂful cheapÂness of the proÂducÂtion, but then as Aesop Rock’s rap lyrics flow over the visuÂals, memÂoÂry starts to fill in the gaps of the images. Shaw’s handÂiÂwork is litÂerÂalÂly in the video: we can see his hand in the bathÂtub scene, or his body’s shadÂow as he moves the woodÂen Jack TorÂrance down the Overlook’s halls. And the tiny camÂera repliÂcates the film’s Steadicam shots well, creÂatÂing a work that is like a delirÂiÂum of the actuÂal movie.
Now, does this have anyÂthing to do with The ImposÂsiÂble Kid, realÂly? Well, the rapÂper did go to live in a PortÂland barn after divorce and the death of a friend, and instead of writÂing “All Work and No Play…” over and over wrote this album, and nobody got hurt. Either way, by the time you’ve finÂished watchÂing you’ll have heard the album, and that’s just one way to play the new music game.
via Noisey
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
DownÂload & Play The ShinÂing Board Game
StanÂley Kubrick’s AnnoÂtatÂed Copy of Stephen King’s The ShinÂing
StanÂley Kubrick’s The ShinÂing ReimagÂined as Wes AnderÂson and David Lynch Movies
Ted Mills is a freeÂlance writer on the arts who curÂrentÂly hosts the artist interÂview-based FunkZone PodÂcast. You can also folÂlow him on TwitÂter at @tedmills, read his othÂer arts writÂing at tedmills.com and/or watch his films here.