Arcade Fire’s Experimental Internet Music Video

Written by kflores on August 30, 2010

Indie band Arcade Fire, who has been catching a lot of buzz lately, released a very impressive "music video" on the Internet today.  However, this isn't your run-of-the-mill music video, probably given away by the fact that it was announced on the Official Google Blog.  The video is billed as as "music experience" and, I have to say, it is pretty cool.

The project was created by Writer/Director Chris Milk with Arcade Fire and Google.  The experience, called The Wilderness Downtown, uses some of the latest emerging Internet web standards including HTML5, Google Maps, and some neat drawing tools.  Given that it is a Google project and somewhat experimental, it is best experienced using the Google Chrome web browser.

I'm not so sure about the whole storyline that integrates Google Maps view of your "childhood home" (after you are prompted to enter an address), but the integrated multi browser windows, beautifully synchronized videos/animations and great track are cool enough on their own.

Interestingly enough, when checking the project out earlier today with a colleague, I remarked "Hey, that [scene] kind of reminds me of [the movie] Brazil."   It turns out that Terry Gilliam, Writer/Director of Brazil, directed a live stream project for Arcade Fire earlier this month; so guess that wasn't coincidence.

It's definitely worth your time to experience The Wilderness Downtown.

Read more about this project and other very successful ways that Arcade Fire has been tapping into social media at Mashable.