Kaila Hawai'i

Beautiful cherry blossoms against a spring sky, perhaps?

Think again, and be sure to not get too close or you’ll feel a sharp sting.

These delicate, flower-like petals belong to a jellyfish. Combing by beauty and the potential for pain, the undulating sea creature is the key motif of the clip for “Graceful Ways” by Japanese electronica act Mondo Grosso headed up by Shinichi Osawa.  Made in the early 2000s, the clip is a great example of how one can make a powerful aesthetic impact with a small budget. The combination of sinuous beats and sultry vocals by Anis with footage of ghostly, pulsating jellyfish with tentacles beckoning can conjure an odd range of associations. Of course, the associations all depend on the person viewing it — very much Reader Response theory, for you lit theory junkies.

More Info

“Dangerous Ways”
Vocals by Anis (Monoral)
From Next Wave (2003)
Official Site | www.mondogrosso.com

Tags: electronica, jellyfish, Mondo Grosso, music video, Shinichi Osawa