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★★★★
Directed by: Martin Petty
Written by: Martin Petty
Starring: Andrew Shire, Joel Alexander, Paul Dogra
Eckotrigger are an alternative/electronic duo that consists of vocalist Joel Alexander and instrumentalist Paul Dogra and this is the music video for their track Collide. It is an intense video that evolves around the life of a troubled man.
The video begins with a dark quote by Alexander and then introduces its main character, a long-haired, unkempt, bearded man, who is wearing dirty clothing and appears to be going through a very serious crisis. The household he is in is a mess and has limited lighting. He is also a drug addict. The title's song then begins and from there the video keeps cutting between four sequences: the man, a woman dancing in the countryside, the same man, but in what seems to be a happy condition and Alexander and Dogra themselves.
It should be mentioned that this is not for the easily-offended. It depicts the main character taking drugs and masturbating while looking at torn pictures of women.
The general mood of the video is down beating and has a narrative. It deals with a damaged individual and observes as he performs self-destructive acts like using drugs or destroying his household. The other sequences are more uplifting, showing individuals in better spirits. The woman in the woods occasionally looks into the camera, giving the impression that she is a person from the man's past and a possible cause for his current state. The parts where the man is in a joyful state and is presentable seems to be how he was before. In other words, the woman and the happy man are memories and that the man has. The sequences that show the two members of Eckotrigger looking at the camera, with Alexander singing, appear to be irrelevant.
Shire delivers a haunting performance as a broken individual. It is upsetting watching him go out of his mind and joyful seeing him in happier times.
The video has very interesting uses of lighting, particularly while the man takes drugs. The colourful and intense lighting highlights the suffering he is going through, creating a great deal of drama. The parts that show Eckotrigger are in black-and-white and look great. The editing is creative and the camera is handheld, which is effective as it films the man battling his personal demons and in a way reveals his tormented state of mind.
As for the song itself, the vocals and music make the listening experience quite mesmerizing. The track is powerful and creates a dramatic atmosphere as it accompanies the images.
Collide is not a pleasant viewing and certainly not for everyone. Nevertheless, it will most likely make an impression.
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