I don't know how many of you have heard of the band MGMT but their songs are all over the radio at the moment. There songs are, in my opinion amazing. There sound is very fresh Described as 'bombastic electro glam' their sounds are a mixture of rich new-wave electro synths with a strong rock base. Its hard to pin down exactly what they sound like in words, which is why I think their visual identity is so remarkable.
If you had never heard his band before I honestly believe that you can tell what kind of music they create through the visuals they present. They use otherworldly, sci-fi graphics, full of new-rave fluorescent colours mixed with dreamy landscapes. There are strong electro graphics, such as the typeface for the band's name on the cover of their album Oracular Spectacular. The cover shot is almost like a post-apocalypse scene; new-rave warriors on a purple, hazy, moonlight beach. Their album is cleverly designed as a cardboard booklet that holds the lyrics on one sheet of paper and the CD on the other side.
The CD also features a photo album of their tour and 'time to pretend' video shoot but also an 'electric feel' interactive video. This video sounds amazing but in reality it is barely interactive and the visuals are rough and unpolished! They have a playful psychedelic feeling though that reflects their music. Also their website www.whoismgmt.com reflects this slightly rough yet edgy electro feel. They cursor turns the background into blocks of colour as you move, and if you press the gun icon it fires and turns the whole background into a moving yellow design. The layout is poor, although not exceptionally hard to navigate. It looks like a very cheap job. And here I think lies the genius in their design. It represents that this is a new band without the polish of big names, reflecting their raw talent. Their music is all about pretending, having fun and not worrying so much. The exact lack of polish, conveys this perfectly allowing us to align ourselves with them. To invest a bit more heart than you would for the latest commercial band to be squeezed out of the 'pop machine'. There music is about pretending and dreams and surreal psychadelic noises, it has a very refreshing, youthful, hopeful vibe, which is accurately desdcribed through their visuals. I think I especially enjoy them as they have a strong neotribal look.
The CD also features a photo album of their tour and 'time to pretend' video shoot but also an 'electric feel' interactive video. This video sounds amazing but in reality it is barely interactive and the visuals are rough and unpolished! They have a playful psychedelic feeling though that reflects their music. Also their website www.whoismgmt.com reflects this slightly rough yet edgy electro feel. They cursor turns the background into blocks of colour as you move, and if you press the gun icon it fires and turns the whole background into a moving yellow design. The layout is poor, although not exceptionally hard to navigate. It looks like a very cheap job. And here I think lies the genius in their design. It represents that this is a new band without the polish of big names, reflecting their raw talent. Their music is all about pretending, having fun and not worrying so much. The exact lack of polish, conveys this perfectly allowing us to align ourselves with them. To invest a bit more heart than you would for the latest commercial band to be squeezed out of the 'pop machine'. There music is about pretending and dreams and surreal psychadelic noises, it has a very refreshing, youthful, hopeful vibe, which is accurately desdcribed through their visuals. I think I especially enjoy them as they have a strong neotribal look.
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