Over the past year, some of our favorite local artists teamed up with the area’s best directors and production teams to create videos which range from intimate to outlandish. Each entry deftly captures the tone of the song and translates it into a visual canvas, or even a miniature world which allows us a deeper glimpse into the artist’s creative vision. The only real criteria for the list, apart from the inherent importance of the production quality, was that the video be a launch pad to delve deeper into each artist’s sound and discography.

Whether one is entranced by the impressive landscapes of Little Tybee’s “Lost in the Field,” challenged by the depressing collage of Lonnie Holley’s “I Woke Up in a Fucked-Up America,” or tangled in the psyche of Breathers’ torturous opus “1-800-PAIN,” each of these videos is a reminder of the breadth and depth of the local creative community.

Breathers – “1-800-PAIN”
Directed by Tim Reis

None of us saw it coming: over the span of this year, city slicker trio Breathers rose from the pavement and stole our hearts. “1-800-PAIN” was already a solid single from the get-go, but this time-bending video proves that Lee Gunselmen and his crew are miles above the usual romantic fluff of synthpop. As I wrote last month, the public access production belies the serious points that Breathers raise in the story, as a crooked lawyer falls victim to his own empty promises. – Lee Adcock

Crispin Wah – “SPLAT”
Directed by Gage McRae & Justin Dunnigan

The wildest video on this year’s list is almost aggressively surreal, dropping the viewer into the center of a funhouse mirror world where a mad scientist’s most diabolical creation are toxic, mind-melting chicken wings. And things only get weirder from there. Shot and directed by production duo THEM (Gage McRae and Justin Dunnigan), the clip’s blend of dark fantasy and campy horror conjures a bizarro atmosphere of fear and paranoia that’s as grim as it is creepy, with Crispin Wah’s freewheeling, full-sprint instrumental allowing the viewer to paint their own interpretation of this madcap carnival ride. – Guillermo Castro

Jay Americana – “Pop Song”
Animated by Neptune Prince

What have I become? That’s effectively the gist of Jay Americana’s “Pop Song,” and that could be what you ask yourself as CGI mannequins loll about your screen. How did you stoop this low? What else do you need to revive the old buzz? There’s a reason Jay Douglas loves to break this one out at gigs—it’s not hard to fall for the allure of a cheap thrill, even when said thrill flatlines into barely a blip. – LA

Little Tybee – “Lost in the Field”
Directed by Brock Scott

The smooth sailing of Little Tybee’s “Lost in the Field” is no Christopher Cross homage, but with all the grandiose vistas and panoramic shots, one could be forgiven for the yacht rock association. Instead, the track’s gentle indie pop soundtracks the story of Capt’n Thom (Thomson Moore) as he sails to the Greek underworld in hopes of locating his missing crew. The video was filmed by Little Tybee vocalist Brock Scott, who relies on viewer imagination and some quirky animation to create a fable of mythic proportions. – Russell Rockwell

Lonnie Holley – “I Woke Up in a Fucked-Up America”
Directed by Matt Arnett & Ethan Payne

It’s possible to reduce Lonnie Holley’s “I Woke Up in a Fucked-Up America” to mere cautionary dystopia, rather than as a prescient take on the reality which people of color face everyday in this country, but the video, directed by Matt Arnett and Ethan Payne, exposes the roots of Holley’s anguish and anger, relishing the complexity while leaving no doubt about the decrepit state of the nation. Still, amidst the American iconography that assaults the viewer, Holley is unmoved—a symbol of survival, and a beacon of truth and prophecy that remains undimmed. – RR

Mighty – “Drip Drop”
Directed by Andrew Averso

There’s a particular kind of malaise that hovers around the edge of the suburbs, where rural life’s pastoral lifeblood drains away, yet where the promise of the American dream never seems to the fill the void. The alt-rock emo of Mighty doesn’t seek out this feeling as distinctly as yesterday’s country would, but the discrepancy in tone only makes the reality captured by director Andrew Averso feel all the more stark and threatening. “Drip Drop” taps into a suppressed reality which is immediately recognizable to anyone who grew up in the fading fringes of middle America, but offers no clear answers or catharsis. – RR

Red Sea – “Love is Blind”
Directed by Funguh Productions

“Love is Blind” was a transformative effort from Red Sea, hitting listeners with a large dose of jittery electronics and moody R&B to complement the group’s already ambitious take on art-rock. With help from Funguh Productions, the band paired the breakout track with one of the year’s most ambitious videos that featured everything from adorable kittens to scenes heavy on BDSM. It all makes for one hell of an enthralling mind trip, or as Red Sea explained to us in our premiere, “a psycho-spiritual journey following a thief through a broken timeline of heartbreak, spy hunting and futuristic inter-dimensional technology.” – GC

The Rock*A*Teens – “Turn and Smile”
Illustrations by James Palmer, Edited by Daniel Murphy

Sure, the video for “Turn and Smile” is basically a glorified lyric video without much action or dynamic movement. But take the time to soak in the immersive details of James Palmer’s stunning illustrations and you can see why the Rock*A*Teens chose to go with a minimalist approach. Couple that with the band’s rare ability to construct compelling dramas out of raw, heartfelt vocals and a few ragged guitars, and you have the makings of one of the more unique and arresting clips to come across our desk in 2018. – GC

Sarah and the Safe Word – “Red Hot and Holy”
Directed by Sarah and the Safe Word and Ed Tumulty

Inspired by Mark Romanek’s short films for Nine Inch Nails and Raúl Gonzo’s work with Pvris, among other things, the video for Sarah and the Safe Word’s “Red Hot and Holy” is a dark and sensual exploration of the human psyche. Across three feverish minutes, each of the group’s seven band members portrays one of the deadly sins to effects ranging from the hilarious to the erotic. Admittedly, there’s not much by way of narrative, but the crisp editing and striking visuals are more than enough to lure you into the exotic heart of the band’s cinematic vision. – GC

TAYLOR ALXNDR – “One Dot”
Directed by TAYLOR ALXNDR

In the lyrics for “One Dot,” TAYLOR ALXNDR made their point perfectly clear about the predatory nature of corporate rat races. But with the video, though (and a few other gender-queer friends), the singer-songwriter zooms in on the extra odds stacked against non-men of color. Of course, it’s a bit silly and exaggerated, but the scene in the meeting, where ALXNDR keeps their hand raised while the boss takes comments from everyone else, should seem painfully familiar for women of any race.” – LA