Playlist: Ben Strebel

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

I absolutely love Oscar Hudson’s [video] for Radiohead Lift. It reminds of the novel by George Perec's L’Appartament and JG Ballard’s High Rise - a dystopian vision of social hierarchy and chaos. I have a massive respect for powerful simple ideas and he's nailed it in this piece - one location, one to two camera angles, a brilliant cast and of course a twist at the end. It’s brilliant also because of the subtle Margitte-esque surrealism. A blank canvas to let the director’s imagination run free on. Essentially music videos are about ideas.

What’s the first promo you remember being impressed by?

I remember going to the Apocalypse Now show at the Royal Academy where I first encountered Chris Cunningham’s work. This lead me to looking into his videos. His mind works so laterally, his aesthetic for that time was so cinematic and fresh. Aphex Twin's Window Licker is an absolute classic in my opinion - mind bending, it surpassed all prior rules and took innovation in music video making to an entirely new level. I love films that take you out of your comfort zone and challenge your psyche. Even better when you’re listening to a great track.

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

It’s probably Daniel Wolfe’s video Blind Faith for Chase & Status. It’s a not only the perfect marriage between song and story, but also slice of true life. I love British realism and he really nails it here for me. It’s not just a moment in time, it’s so much more than that - it’s a feeling all adolescents have experienced - that excitement when going out, that adrenaline rush, the danger and the unknown. And, of course, that feeling when the sun comes up the next morning.

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

I still love Romain Gavras’ gritty, hard hitting (sometimes even political) earlier work. One of my other favourites is Isiah Seret and his video for Cults Go Outside and the techniques Jaron Albertin used in his early videos. Now, some of my favourite directors include Ian Pons Jewell, Karim Hudoo, Jonathan Desbiens and Abteen Bagheri.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Grizzly Bear, King Krule.

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

My Bose headphones. They drown out the noise of the world outside and the sound quality is amazing.

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

I would absolutely love to work with Nick Cave. A modern-day troubadour, shapeshifter and always surprising. His songs are inspiring on so many levels and intrinsically cinematic.