Shihori
Perfect Imperfection (music video)
Review by Gary Hill
I reviewed the digital single of this song in the previous issue of Music Street Journal, but the artist has now released this video. I landed that song under progressive rock, not because that's what it is, but rather because it's definitely art rock. I'm doing the same thing with this video because, if anything, it's even more art rock based than the song itself is. For reference, here is what I said about the music in the other review:
This number begins on piano. As the vocals join they have so much power behind them. The song builds outward with a real modern pop music meets classic art rock vibe. This has as much in common with Kate Bush as it does with the music of more contemporary songstresses. It really treads a line between those two edges and schools of thought. There are some decidedly symphonic vibes coming from the musical arrangement, but as another dichotomy it's delivered with an electronic foundation.
Turning our attention to the video, the opening visual on this shows something floating underwater, with the reflection of it shimmering and shifting on the surface. From there we get the artist herself dancing under the surface of the water. This video seems to really be about the journey from underwater upward to reaching for the sky. Probably half of it takes places under the surface of the water. Then Shihori comes to the surface. From there she really comes alive, and we next see her on the land. There she sings and does dances that feel a bit Native American. The landscape on which she performs appears to be in the Western part of the US again tying it to that Native American element. She seems to reaching for the sky both with her motions and her words. The whole video seems to show a transition from someone merely existing underwater to a person thriving above ground. It really does a great job of capturing the artistic nature of the music.
This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 6. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.
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