The New LoFi

Floating Points release a mesmerizing stop motion video to breath life into their new single “Last Bloom”

In June, Sam Shepherd (the producer we all know as Floating Points) released a new single called “LesAlpx.” The track was a teaser for the upcoming launch of his third studio album and it featured a darker sounding side of Floating Points. A driving beat and darker brooding synths hinted towards what the new album would become.

The name of the new album is Crush and it was released in October on Ninja Tune. With its release, Floating Points commissioned a new video to celebrate the new release and the second single on the record: “Last Bloom.” The video features some stunning examples of stop motion that take us through a mesmerizing world of organic textures and hyperreal colors. This juxtaposition of organic and hyperreal is a nice metaphor for the kind of music that Floating Points creates. Sharp electronic sounds compliment warm synth textures which lend themselves to a visual universe that is not so far off from our own.

The video was filmed over thirty days by using several scale models to create the organic worlds that the video depicts. A 5-axis robot arm with motorized sliders and turntables was constructed to transport the camera across the set. Different lenses, including a macro probe lens, were employed in order to reveal the complexity and intricacy of each small-scale world.

Most of the effects were achieved in-camera by using lasers, motion controls and computer-controlled LED lighting. The timelapses seen throughout the film were shot in some cases over several days with the help of programmed rigs. Check out the short ‘making of’ video below to see how some of the worlds were produced and filmed.

In the final wormhole scene, over 14 meters of tunnels were either built or 3D printed, and the final section was LED programmed to achieve the colorful lighting effects. The whole sequence was later stitched in the compositing stage to achieve the dramatic odyssey towards the video’s meta-final. It’s pretty amazing stuff. Check out the finished video below and if you like what you are listening to, but your copy of Crush on Ninja Tune here: https://ninjatune.net/release/floating-points/crush/

Directed and produced by Hamill Industries
DOP: Nathan Grimes