Playlist: Matt Costain

What’s the best music video you’ve seen recently and why?

Can I choose a music video that isn’t a music video but should be? It is the brilliant version of Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know danced by CDK Company. 

Just amazing dancing, styling, so much attitude. Every time I watch it, I watch it beginning to end with a huge smile on my face!

What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by?

Growing up in the 1980s there was a lot to choose from! Bands like Ultravox and Duran Duran were making videos into mini movies in a way that had not been done before. 

However, I really remember that in the midst of all that was George Michael - A Different Corner, which is just him singing in a white room! The power of one single idea, and the power of a music video to change the perception of an artist really stuck with me.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

Tricky, but I think it is Madonna - Frozen. Honourable mention for Beyoncé - Single Ladies.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspiration?

I’m currently obsessed with Cinematic Soul and the new music recommended by @somewhere_soul. So exciting.

What are you listening to at the moment?

HA! See previous question. And also Corto Alto, The Offline, Slowly Rolling Camera. Along with a healthy dose of Floating Points.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

Technics 1210s. I have one or two in most rooms in the house. Just got my daughter her first decks. We now get Taylor Swift a lot louder than before. To be fair, she still streams music when she is on her own, but when her friends come round she gets the vinyl out. It’s a ritual…

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

Nils Frahm, Max Richter, The Ezra Collective. Just because, what a lot of suffering and joy! And Taylor Swift. Just because I love the scale of the endeavour.

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

I think we are constantly re-evaluating the role and identity of the audience. People are now making content for an imagined audience outside of their core following.