Felix Brady works his magic for Unknown T

Who needs narrative clarity when you have giant inflatable rubber ducks, kiddie-ride style speed boats and a substantial dose of nineties nostalgia? 

Helmed by directing wizard Felix Brady through Stink, this magical promo for rappers Loyle Carner and Unknown T’s track Hocus Pocus intertwines compelling cinematography, VFX and bespoke animation with surreal visuals inspired by retro pop culture.

Distorting familiar objects to create striking compositions with vibrant colour schemes, Brady conjures an eccentric dreamscape of arcade games, cars mounted on hydraulic arms and life-size Tetris, complete with a few playful nods to conventional rap video clichés. 

Brady said: “It’s a visually-forward film. I wanted back-to-back grandiose scenes that are performance-focused. I was inspired by technology, play and contemporary design but I also really wanted to push the rap envelope. It’s all play - the car, which is emblematic of rap videos, exists as a gyrating sculpture in the background, like a piece of modern art. The infinite hole-in-one golf scenes. Loyle in a speedboat is reminiscent of those coin-operated kiddie rides outside Asda. The kid on the bike searching the park harks back to Pokémon Go. Loyle loop-the-looping on a swing. Tetris inspired the floating building scene… We had fun with it.”