The relationship between the Safdie Brothers and Daniel Lopatin, aka Oneohtrix Point Never, is well-documented. For both of their most recent releases, “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems,” Lopatin has provided the scores for the features, earning acclaim for his music that seemingly fits perfectly with the anxiety-ridden thrillers the Safdies have been known for. And now, the filmmakers return the favor by directing a music video for Lopatin’s latest album, “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.”
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As seen in the video for “Lost But Never Alone,” the Safdies have taken nostalgia to the next level by crafting a video that is both haunting (fitting for the song that it accompanies) but also a bit playful, as the filmmakers show how inspired they are by the classic TV shows and commercials of decades past. All told, you’re left with a fascinating music video for a great song.
“Nostalgia is both warming and deeply depressing,” saidJosh Safdie. “It’s a love/hate relationship. Emotions themselves are haunting. ‘LBNA’ is a haunted piece of surfing- a screen-capture of our desire to pull meaning from the past at all times and the triumph of breaking through it with something else.”
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“When the pandemic hit, Dan and I sat around sharing airchecks from mid-level radio dials from yesteryear,” he added. “Cut up and edited so as to evade copyright problems playing entire songs. The results are these 40 min streams of time captured with snippets of radio-songs…. Aptly, one station in particular was known as ‘Beautiful Music.’ As the album took shape and I’d hear pieces of tracks, cut ups a la Steve Reich, the ghosts of upper and lower dial radio started to haunt me, I loved the feeling. I love the album and this song in particular fills me with a deep sense of sadness, angst, loneliness, creativity and of course triumph. We’re all lost but never alone.”
Obviously, if you’re a fan of the scores for “Good Time” or “Uncut Gems,” you’ll want to check out Lopatin’s new album. And if you need more reason, you can watch the video for “Lost But Never Alone” below.
