Playlist: Cyriak

Director, animator and musician Cyriak has been creating his signature style of kaleidoscopic chaos for over ten years. During this time he has helmed promos for the likes of Run The Jewles, Block Party and Adam Buxton. shots caught up with the animator-extraordinaire to find out what's on his Playlist.

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

I don't really watch many music videos, mainly because I don't like much of the music. The only one I remember from recently was On a Red Horse by James Edge and the Mindstep from about five months ago. Its animated by Ross Butter, and I only saw it because I like his animation and follow him on twitter, but the music is pretty good too. It goes on quite a weird journey, both visually and musically.

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

The first music video that really stuck in my mind was Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer. I was only a kid back then so I could tolerate the cheesy music, and it seemed quite magical the way it mixed animation styles.

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

It’s hard to pick an all-time favourite music video, I think the concept that will always be my favourite was for Star Guitar by The Chemical Brothers. It was one of the first videos I saw by Michel Gondry, and it’s just such a perfectly executed minimalist idea that marries music and visuals, and I love how subtle and yet mind-blowing the editing is.

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

Artistically I was very much influenced by M C Escher and Jan Svankmajer, and the crazy illustrators of the Zap comics like Robert Williams and Robert Crumb.

As far as more modern inspiration goes, I am more inspired by what I don't see rather than what I do. If I see something I like, then that’s something I don't need to do myself, so I am more interested in making things that I haven't seen yet. If that makes sense. I'm probably still sub consciously influenced by a lot of stuff though.

What are you listening to at the moment?

These days I mainly listen to The Cardiacs, a band I grew up with, and Igorrr, who I discovered more recently. They are both very unconventional and unpredictable musically, while being highly structured and dense at the same time, which is the kind of music I prefer.

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

I'm in love with my gaming laptop at the moment, I'm not used to having a computer that starts instantly. My work computer takes about five minutes to boot up. Think I need a new one soon.

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

Given the choice, I'd rather just work on my own! I'm a total control freak, which is probably why I even make the music for my own videos. I may find that limiting though if I ever want to make something more ambitious than a three-minute music video.

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

Everything is a lot more accessible now, the bands, the platform, the technology. Even me. If a band had enough money then they can just contact me directly to make them a video. In practise there are still record labels and production companies involved, but there is still a sense that anyone with the skills and talent can create and distribute on a similar playing field to the more established producers. That’s just my own limited perspective of course, I only see this industry through the tiny window of my own experience.

Music videos have had a resurgence of late; where do you see the industry being in five years’ time?

Have they? I honestly wouldn't have known; I hardly ever watch them myself! I've no idea how things might change in the next five years. For me, five years ago seems like yesterday. I don't think things will change that much, there will always be a demand for new things to see. I just hope the music industry will still have the money to throw at artists like me.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

Most people don't seem to know that I haven't lived in Brighton for about seven years. I'm not even sure why I became so associated with the town that I lived in, but people always seem to find it relevant. For me, the internet is my home.