There are not many recent music videos that, beyond the primary purpose of transmitting a message on a strictly musical or rhythmic level, try to create some metaphorical connections with other issues of the contemporary world. Still, ‘Black Dust‘ (based on the song performed by Jameson Tabor) is one of them where director Sara Alessandrini creates a metaphor of absurd discrimination, depicting a conflict between two tribes which, in fact, are no longer aware of the real reason for their hatred.
Without contextualizing quite precisely the main socio-political space/conflict, the director prefers to opt for a narrative formula inspired by the pagan imaginary in which elements taken from African and Native American culture converge in a fictional universe worthy of a fantasy novel. The costumes and slightly sci-fi ornaments of the characters, as well as their gestures (which in a stylized manner recreate a choreography placed between ritual and aggressive detonation of the fighting spirit) are complemented by the dynamism of the image transitions, evolving from monochrome punctuated by fade green-blueish nuances towards a complete picture dominated by vivid colours in a coherent epic construction, behind which the absurdity of any form of violence is hidden. As a consequence, the contrasts mark a constant formula by which this music video reaches its final concreteness, manifesting itself at all levels of the construction: monochrome vs. chromatic, individual vs. collective, slow movements vs. fast transitions, war vs. peace, imbalance vs. balance. This strategy is extremely effective since it follows the fluctuating logic of the viewer’s emotions, providing the counterpoint needed to capture interest throughout the entire video.
