If ’60s girl groups were produced with today’s technology, it wouldn’t sound dissimilar to some of what Claire Boucher does as Grimes. Tethering her innocent, helium-charged vocals (reminiscent of the Cranes’ Alison Shaw) to a muscular underpinning of programmed synths, samples, and slam-bang beats, the Montreal-based singer/producer’s music is a juxtaposition that totally computes. Grimes is in my system.
The music video for the sweetly spooky (or spookily sweet) “Oblivion,” which appears on her recently released album, Visions, features Grimes crashing a football game and motocross competition. Boombox in hand, she lip-syncs along to her song with headphones, making some new friends in the stands and confusing a few folks along the way. She’s also the lone female in the guys’ locker room and an active living-room mosh pit.
Directed by Emily Kai Bock, the sports-and-testosterone fueled clip has seemingly little to do with “Oblivion,” but the execution is charming. Grimes has scored another winning juxtaposition:
Purchase Grimes – “Oblivion” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.