In a year that found us returning to some degree of normalcy, South African musicians, directors, producers and extended crews conceptualised music videos that consistently serve to elevate the work of independent creatives in our industry.
This year’s videos challenged conventions, tapped into carefree childhood nostalgia and were at times playful and tongue-in-cheek, and so, in no particular order, enjoy our best videos of 2022.
This track is an ode to creative partnership, there’s no doubt about it, and the visuals reflect that wholeheartedly. Showing the cast of collaborators in a club setting, each one of them takes to the camera to perform their part, surrounded by flashing LED lights and at times blurred, disconcerting camera movements, which only serve to amplify the song’s already hammering bassline.” – Alessandro Gueli
There’s a reason this emotive work of art has won Best Video at two international Film Festivals. Directed by Obscura Films’ Kalai Faye Barlow and set in Harare, Zimbabwe, the video plays out in an abandoned warehouse in which a group of children set out to recreate iconic movie scenes, and it’s simply superb. – Tecla Ciolfi
The Charles Géne Suite “Whiskey Music”
Shot at Joburg’s legendary Radium Beer Hall, I know for a fact that it was no small feat to get all seven members of TCGS together to shoot this video. Directed by Hallie Haller and produced by Sam Turpin, the result is a slickly edited, smokey-hued short film that breathes character into an already animated song and will stand as one of the best of their career. – Tecla Ciolfi
Giulio Beltramo – “No Control”
This video is cinematic and engaging, feisty and emotive. The real flair here lies in both Beltramo’s scintillating fashion sense and snappy dance moves – which puts the celebration into the lament as he shifts between both sides of the coin, delivering the sort of queer anthem which encompasses so much more than you’d first expect within its dynamic scope. – Skye Mallac
There’s nothing I don’t love about this music video. From Emma and Gerry’s cutesy mini-me’s running all over the place living their best play-date life, to the ’80s-steeped nostalgia represented by the old television set and once iconic MTV logo, this pink-hued piece of art positions Emerger at the top of their game. – Tecla Ciolfi
I’m a sucker for a good montage video, and the fact that Dangerfields’ happen to feature footage from their performance at TATC’s After Dark event back in 2019 doesn’t hurt. But in all honesty, this band have been through the most, and this heartfelt trip down memory lane is gorgeously crafted from poignant career moments that’ll evoke all the warm and fuzzies. – Tecla Ciolfi
Directed by Heinrich Laubscher, the video for Hunter Kennedy’s debut single is a vividly-coloured and wonderfully over-saturated offering that perfectly captures the essence of the song–and made me go out and buy a similiar 80s-coloured windbreaker. – Tecla Ciolfi
Wolfgang Marrow – “Murder Romance”
Against the dystopian backdrop of downtown Gqeberha – and no it’s not photoshopped, it’s entirely the result of a post-COVID urban dilapidation – a man is randomly selected from his safe house to take on the fluffy, one-eyed monster who has been terrorizing the city. That’s where the Gruffalo-goes-rogue theme comes in. – Skye Mallac
West Coast Wolves – Factory of Bones
As impressive as the one-shot approach and performances are in the video for “Factory of Bones” it’s the dead-pan satire of the production that makes it stand out. The hippie-dippie setting almost tangibly laughs in the face of Galen Hossack as he G.I. Joe’s his way through the Bent Head Pub on the Breede River. – Daniel Lückhoff-Wessels
Drawing from early 2000 films like Underworld and Resident Evil, the video’s sinister sequences are superbly shot and edited. The story line highlights a fever-dream like narrative, exploring the balance between dream and consciousness. – Mike Bower
