After ranking Grimes’ latest release, Art Angels, as my top album of 2015, my appreciation for Claire Boucher’s latest artistic direction hasn’t wavered. Especially with her latest music video release for the song “Kill V. Maim” continuing to leave me mesmerized. With Boucher’s brother, Mac Boucher, serving as director alongside his sister, “Kill V. Maim” servers as a proud follow up to the October music video premiere of “Flesh Without Blood/Life in the Vivid Dream.”
“Kill V. Maim” follows Grimes along with her rag-tag gang as they make their presence known by journeying through an 80’s-esque Tokyo by means of subway stations, highways and gushing raves. The grungy landscape and imagery fit the song’s fast paced and angry vibe perfectly, as did the backdrop of nature accompanied by bright, Victorian pastels in “Flesh without Blood/ Life in the Vivid Dream.” Even though the setting of the two videos contrast, there is one common thread, serving as a nod to the album title, that I predict will be a continuous theme in the music videos that proceed: Grimes wearing angel wings. If the visuals weren’t already stunning enough, “Kill V. Maim” also showcases Boucher’s illustrative talents, which, before now, had almost always been exclusive to her album covers.
Watch “Kill V. Maim” below:
