This year marks the 15th Anniversary of CANADA, not the country (obviously), the visionary creative company from Barcelona, Spain! Whether you’re familiar with their name or not, you’ve certainly encountered their remarkable body of work. They have been a dominant force in the music video industry, making some of our most favourite videos for over a decade. From their provocative often collage-like approach to image-making, to collaborating with many top directors and artists, they’ve influenced a generation of filmmakers.
I thought it would be fun to congratulate them by sharing 15 of their best music videos. Given the sheer number of iconic videos they’ve made over the years, narrowing down the list was not easy! After making my way back through their entire archive, watching new things and old things, I was happy to find that the playfully absurd energy of their earliest years still permeates their work a decade and a half later. See for yourself, my picks are below! Warning: There may be naked people!
Dua Lipa — “Love Again”
Director: Lope Serrano
If you can convince anyone to let you lasso a giant egg in the middle of a video you’ve already won. The rodeo clown styling is excellent and all the surreal touches here make this a memorable one.
Phoenix — “Trying to be Cool”
Director: Nicolás Méndez
Whenever I watch this one I wish it was a true one-shot (it feels like that was the plan), but I always love watching the dove reveal to ping pong sequence. Still so good.
Tame Impala — “The Less I know The Better”
Director: Lope Serrano & Nicolás Méndez
Love a lot of the dream-like transitions here and the costumes with the giant gorilla hands are iconic.
Battles — “The Yabba”
Director: Roger Guàrdia
The opening and the slow buildup to the end of this one are both spectacular.
Hot Chip ft. Jarvis Cocker — “Straight To The Morning”
Director: Réalité
This is just pure naive fun! It takes me back to elementary school days hanging at my friend’s house. After his parents would leave we’d blend up random things from the fridge and dare each other to drink them.
The Chemical Brothers — “Skipping Like A Stone” ft. Beck
Director: Pensacola
I remember hoping this would not simply be a montage of really great stone skipping. Was NOT disappointed! I believe this is the most recent video on this list and it’s a great comparison to CANADA’s older work.
Foals — “Exits”
Director: Albert Moya
There’s an engaging retro sci-fi film buried somewhere in this really confusing narrative structure and somehow it works?? I have no idea what’s happening and I keep coming back to it to try and figure it out.
Arlo Parks — “Weightless”
Director: Marc Oller
Big fan of Arlo Parks so maybe I’m a bit biased but this one is lovely. The images of the horse galloping away to freedom are beautiful.
Travis Scott — “Sirens”
Director: Travis Scott
I don’t know if the Catalan tradition of building castells (human towers) woulda been my first concept if I was pitching an idea for this song but somehow the rushing people really works with the music. Love the ending, too.
Jarami — “No Chance”
Director: Pensacola
Who doesn’t want to watch the adventures of two buddies who just so happen to be a guy and a piece of lettuce?
El. Guincho — “Bombay”
Director: Nicolás Méndez
The one that started it all for CANADA. A montage of unrelated and increasingly absurd moments, random nudity, and bunch of references to other artists’ work. Essentially this is what it felt like to scroll through Tumblr back then.
Mura Masa — “Deal Wiv It”
Director: Yoni Lappin
Yoni Lappin has made a bunch of great videos for Mura Masa but there’s something about that goofy facial expression that makes this one stick in my mind more than any of the others. Nothing happens and I love it so much.
Justice — “New Lands”
Director: Luis Cerveró
I have a special place in my heart for films like The Running Man and Rollerball so this is pretty much the greatest visual that could have ever been made for this song.
Rosalía — “Malamente”
Director: Nicolás Méndez
“Malamente” turned out to be Rosalía’s international introduction and it played a big part in her meteoric rise in 2018. It was named video of the year by Pitchfork and I’m sure many still see it as CANADA’s most iconic work.
Rosalía — “Pienso En Tu Mirá
Director: Nicolás Méndez
For me, this had to be number one. Once again there’s a collage of ideas here but I think what sets “Pienso En Tu Mirá” apart is the poetry in the way these images are combined. A lover’s gaze feeling like a bullet to the chest is repeated throughout the song and the visuals explore the theme of jealousy in such a disarming way. The bull’s horns to the back, the loading of eyeballs into the gun. This is a masterpiece.
Big congratulations to our friends at CANADA, happy 15-year anniversary! Here’s to another 15, excited to see what you make next!
Calling all photographers! The Booooooom Photo Awards are back and open for submissions!
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