The "Polygon Wave" music video is garbage. So I wanted to throw back to a Perfume music video which is great. There are many from which I could pick, but I wanted to go with "Fushizen na Girl". Not only because I think it's a great music video, but because this was the song and music video which cemented Perfume as a group that I needed to keep an eye on. Which just goes to show you the power of a really good music video.
The interesting thing about "Fushizen na Girl", is that as much as I like the music video and I feel it captures the charms of Perfume, it's one of their least original music videos. This isn't a slight on it in any way. It's still a damn good music video. But it's the only music video Perfume have done where it reminded me distinctly of the work of somebody else. Michel Gondry. Specifically his videos for
The Chemical Brothers' "Let Forever Be" and
Daft Punk's "Around the World". There are definite threads between Perfume, Nakata Yasutaka, French pop music and French video art, and "Fushizen na Girl" is one example of how these intersect. But that's a whole other post.
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| Perfume - Fushizen na Girl: Directed by Kazuaki Seki | © 2010 Amuse Inc. |
Watching the music video for "Fushizen na Girl" makes you realise how timeless Perfume's music and music videos were, which I think was part of the issue with the videos they put out for
Future Pop. Some of the music videos and songs felt very time stamped in a way that something like "Fushizen na Girl" does not. "Fushizen na Girl" is a timeless video, yet features specific things which make it feel very present. There are elements of voguing in the choreography; a form of dance which has gone to whole new levels of mainstream in the past 10 years. The dancers buss it open and do splits, which all the girls are out here doing these days at every opportunity. And Kashiyuka's shoes? Those is red bottoms, those is bloody shoes. Perfume's outfits? Low key couture honey.
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Perfume - Fushizen na Girl: Directed by Kazuaki Seki | © 2010 Amuse Inc.
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Perfume felt like they were ahead of curves and trends once upon a time. But more importantly, everything Perfume did both musically and visually felt like perfect representations of who and what Perfume were. There was a clear intent, idea and a follow through on execution. Where-as now, when I watch a Perfume music video, I see the idea, but no follow through on the execution to fully realise it. Then I find myself at the end of it thinking
'Okay, so what was the point of that?'. Which would be a fine question to have if the music video was entertaining. I don't know what the point of "Fushizen na Girl" is, but it doesn't matter because I was entertained. And no music video that Perfume have put out since "Sweet Refrain" in 2013 has truly entertained and featured what was the energy and classic DNA of a Perfume music video. We're now in an age where Perfume's music video directors THINK they're giving us the elements of a classic Perfume music video, when in fact they've lost sight of what these actually were - and as a result we end up with checkbox style videos which miss the mark any way, and feature none of the magic of Perfume's earlier videos. Yes. Even the raggedy budget ones like "Chocolate Disco".
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Perfume - Fushizen na Girl: Directed by Kazuaki Seki | © 2010 Amuse Inc.
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We really went from creative shit like *gestures to "Fushizen na Girl"* this, to
a music video where Kashiyuka is an Uber driver.
As is the case with their music, Perfume were fortunate enough to have created such a strong videography which not only holds, but is still carrying the group to this day. It's this legacy as to why fans such as myself are so disappointed in what Perfume give us now, because we know there was a time when they gave us better and gave it consistently. And it's this desire for better and thinking that maybe one day they'll throw it back that has me still keeping an eye on 'em.
🎛️ Perfume megamixes:
Game megamix |
LEVEL3 megamix |
Cosmic Explorer megamix
🎧 Playlists:
The Rest "P Cubed" |
Perfume Pussy Poppers
💿 Album reviews:
The Best "P Cubed" |
Future Pop |
Cosmic Explorer |
LEVEL3 |
JPN |
Triangle |
Game |
Complete Best
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