Wow, the Internet has been in a groovy uproar with the sensual and mysterious new video by Chet Faker for his track “Gold” from the album “Built On Glass”.

First, the video is a nearly 4 minute continuous shot, helped with a little seamless creative editing. Dark and moody, it combines the beauty and free spirited feeling of young american california beauties – on roller skates no less – with a dark night and somewhat unsettling destination they travel to with the viewer.

There are a few classic one-take shots in cinema, probably one of the most well known being Robert Altman’s film The Player. The 8 minute opening shot in that movie (you gotta watch the link if you don’t know it) just keeps going and going, with great effect. The history of these in cinema has many examples. So when director Hiro Murai uses the technique for this song by Chet Faker, it’s as a respectful homage. A few other music videos have also used this approach, the two I could find being “Bitter Sweet Symphony”  by The Verve, which is a super classic track in with some of the same darker undertones. Another is the Massive Attack video for their track “Unfinished Sympathy”, which many fans pushed up the charts in it’s heyday.

The roller skating trio of Appleusa McGlynn, April Corley, and Candice Heiden glide through this video with an easy sensuality that perfectly suits the music’s somewhat melancholy lyrics pining for a lost love, which. Minimal drums and a bass line that’s just totally built for rolling down the road add killer groove to the track, while leaving plenty of space for an atmospheric feeling part sensual part heroin nod, and all around superb. The Chet Faker Gold video should be a hit with a critical filmgoer’s nod of appreciation for a long time to come.

Here’s another Chet Faker track for your listening pleasure:

About the Video

Director: Hiro Murai
Producer: Kimberly Stuckwisch
Executive Producer: Danielle Hinde
DP: Larkin Seiple
Production Designer: Maxwell Orgell
Stylist: Elise and Chris Velasco
Choreographer: Ryan Heffington
Skaters: Appleusa McGlynn, April Corley, Candice Heiden