Brand New Music Videos Courtesy of Polyvinyl Record Co.: STRFKR, Wampire, Generationals & Shugo Tokumaru

STRFKR is one of Polyvinyl Records’ most renowned contemporary indie-rock bands known to date. From the same Portland music scene as label mates Wampire and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, STRFKR has received almost as much attention for their moniker as for their immeasurably contagious dance hooks. HIP Video Promo is proud to present the new video for their new track “Atlantis,” a sensational account of modern indie music.

Following the success of their last album, Reptilians, STRFKR’s most recent LP Miracle Mile is gaining the same, if not more, positive press. Filled with those memorable synths and upbeat melodies that we all have come to love, their music is filled with vibrant crescendos, layers of energetic synth melodies, and explosive drum beats that make for wild and expressively theatrical live performances. Speaking of live performances, a live show of the band is a must-see, and they are set to perform at the FYF Fest in Los Angeles’ historic park later this year in August. In the meantime, HIP Video Promo presents “Atlantis,” a satirical, yet humanly witty experience of a music video. Click here for the full bio on the HIP Video Promo website.

Polyvinyl Records’ all-stars Wampire have been steadily making a name for themselves in the same Portland, Oregon music scene that has produced Polyvinyl label-mates STRFKR as well as Unknown Mortal Orchestra. From their newest album Curiosity, HIP Video Promo presents Wampire’s eclectic and innovative clip “Orchards.”

Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps are the masterminds behind the creation of Wampire, and after the duo opened for STRFKR at a hometown Portland show, they gained the attention of Polyvinyl Records. Coincidentally, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s bassist Jacob Portrait produced Wampire’s debut full-length, Curiosity. In mid-August of last year, Tinder and Phipps, each bringing fragments of song ideas into the studio, began recording and collaborating with Portrait. At times, the recordings on Curiosity were improvised on the spot, making this album all the more creative.

The album’s diverse combination of sounds aided Wampire in the creation of its title, Curiosity. Packed with unique rhythms that are a blend of classic Motown songs and contemporary rock that can sometimes be compared to The Strokes, Wampire is a coming of age duo that masterly creates timeless, yet contemporary tracks that can be categorized through a multitude of genres. The track “Orchards” has been described as having “an infectiously breezy melody on the strength of vocal harmonizing, tuneful whistling, and undulating guitar lines,” and Polyvinyl Records introduces its video clip just to show you how infectious Wampire’s music really is.

Tinder and Phipps take us on a long distance journey in “Orchards.” Directed by Daniel Portrait, the duo moves through scenes of imaginative life on the road, living in a car, and coming in contact with a one eyed monster that reluctantly joins the duo. Scenes are reminiscent of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, yet capture its own unique vibe of eccentricity and innovation. The melodies of the tune fall hand in hand with the scenes of the clip; all in all, “Orchards” transcends contemporary music as it echoes timeless songs of the past, yet captures modern elements of contemporary music. Click here for the full bio on the HIP Video website.

Polyvinyl Records’ band Generationals is a modern rock group tinged with indie-rock elements and atmospheric notes often being compared to a more subdued version of the modern rockers, Foster the People. With a new album well on its way to success, this New Orleans based band is making a name for themselves throughout the indie music scene. From the up and coming album Heza, HIP Video Promo presents the video clip “Put a Light On.”

Strewn with every day images, “Put a Light On” combines contemporary scenes of freedom. Acting the part of wanderers or nomads, we join Joyner and Widmer as they stride throughout city streets with no place of home or knowledge of their whereabouts. The song is energetic, yet subdued and transcends modern rock music. As the scenes portray some strange individuals, such as a man beating a television to a pulp, we cannot help but to acknowledge the unspoken undertone of the single, “Put a Light On”—while the song is happy and upbeat, there is a truth to the loss of identity that Joyner and Widmer experience in these eccentric scenes, yet they offer a sense of companionship and relief to music listeners. Click here for the full bio.

From the same label as artists such as of Montreal and Birthmark, Shogu Tokumaru’s universal sound spans from classical melodies reminiscent of The Beatles to his own take on contemporary Japanese pop music. HIP Video Promo and Polyvinyl Record Co. present the new innovative video “Katachi” by an artist that invites you to join him on this creative whirlwind of a clip.

Although Tokumaru’s vocals are sung in Japanese, this Tokyo native’s music is universal transcending “the lack of lyrical familiarity to Western ears.” Shugo is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who debuted his music in May of 2004 in America with his debut album Night Piece. He creates every sound heard on his records and is responsible for even the minute details of the production including originally written lyrics, musical arrangements, and the recording and mixing phases. It is with his newest release, In Focus?, that Shogu has culminated all of these skills and approaches to make, if we do say so, a near-perfect album.

This Polyvinyl all-star is known for the variety of instruments he uses in his music spanning over one hundred different traditional and non-traditional instruments in his recordings. Shugo Tokumaru’s ability to create sensational music that inspires all even if it cannot be understood in one’s native tongue shows how universally endearing he is as a contemporary musician. In his latest clip “Katachi,” we experience the creative aspects of this artist on the rise and find that we cannot walk away from Shugo’s music without being inspired.

Directed by Katarzyna Kijek and Przemyslaw Adamski, “Katachi” can be described as “a multi-layered stop-motion journey.” Paper cutouts form images of ordinary objects that transform into other images, giving way to Tokumaru’s perception of the world, that every thing is connected. Much like the song itself, the video is universal and speaks to every contemporary music fan. “Katachi” is a modern tune and the catchy melodies and influential sounds of Shugo’s multi-faceted instruments are what make him stand out as this year’s breakthrough artist. Click here for the full bio.