‘Fantasyescape‘ is a Norwegian music video that makes use of an allegorical underwater dance as a main framework for its explored subject and motifs. Introducing a sideways perspective instead of a traditional downwards-facing one, the 3-minute project showcases its points of difference and unique nature right from the get-go.
Directed by Sondre Pettersen, the music video is beautifully shot and aptly combines technically proficient imagery with a wonderful artistic sense, and this combination turns out to be the main reason behind ‘Fantasyescape’’s finesse in establishing its own brand of aesthetics. How do the visuals intermix with the audio side then? They do so very harmoniously – while a lack of dynamism could be cited as a small negative factor, this does not prove to be a drawback in the end, as the visuals and the music achieve a synergy that serves as a complementing force to the project as a whole.
In terms of content, things are not as clear-cut – this is to be expected, of course. The meaningfulness of the abstract, non-verbal narrative discourse leaves leeway in the audience’s pattern of interpretation. While clearly underlining the concepts of love and romantic bonds as main themes, other factors such as cyclicity, infinity, interconnectedness, life and death, yin and yang remain very much optional to each and every individual’s ability and willingness to draw parallels and interpret. A potential point of criticism could therefore be the completely free-form framework in terms of content – and the fact that lyrics are not translated and subtitled, while aiding immersion, takes away meaning.
All things considered, ‘Fantasyescape’ is a fantastic visual experience that creates a vivid underwater spectacle, where love, life and time function differently and capture new meanings. The project establishes its own unique artistic feel and aptly applies it to a mixture of conceptual contexts, with a certain amount of synergy achieved as a result. While lacking a bit on the content part, it does provide an exquisite and immersive experience that should definitely captivate any audience.
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