Blur Enlist Chinese Folk Dancers for ‘Lonesome Street’ Video
Blur‘s time in Hong Kong heavily influenced their latest album The Magic Whip, and the band has extended that influence to its recent videos. In the clip for new single “Lonesome Street,” Chinese folk dancers perform delightful choreography to the tune of the jubilant new song.
Directed by Ben Reed, the video stars San Francisco’s Phoenix Fly Line Dancing Group. It begins with a male dancer performing a solo routine with only a boombox, but once the curtain is pulled back, he’s joined by a group of women who help him make the beautiful, simple dance even more mesmerizing.
“Lonesome Street” is the third video off The Magic Whip. “Go Out” was filmed in the style of a Chinese cooking show, while “There Are Too Many of Us” simply featured the band playing the new song in a small room.
The Magic Whip is Blur’s first album of new material since 2003’s Think Tank and first album to feature guitarist Graham Coxon since 1999’s 13. Last month, they debuted the album in its entirety at a small London club for an audience of 300 fans.
In an interview with Zane Lowe, frontman Damon Albarn revealed that the band’s first album of new material in 12 years came together at Hong Kong’s Avon Studios while stranded in the city for five days following a cancelled show. “We didn’t have much [equipment]; it was like back when we first started recording stuff,” said the singer. Albarn is also working on new material for animated group Gorillaz as well as The Good, the Bad and the Queen.
The Magic Whip will be released on April 27th.