French electro-legend Jean-Michel Jarre released the video for newest single “Glory” earlier today leading up to the release of his new, heavily collaborated album, his first in eight years.
“Glory,” was released as single in May and now has the video to match. After the release of “Zero Gravity,” the hype for Jarre’s as of yet to be unnamed new album soared. Jarre has collaborated with M83 and Tangerine Dream so far on the new album, proving that it’s going to be something big.
I’m starting to get a running theme from recent music videos I’ve watched, including “Glory.” The high quality filming mixed with light play focusing on different angles and shadows is huge in the music video industry right now, as seen in Hudson Mohawke’s new lyric video for “Warriors.”
We see this pattern of stitched together images and ongoing changing light and shadow from “Glory,” but there are certainly instances that set this video apart from others. The context is a bit nonsensical, showing various performances in front of an audience as if it were a competition.
An archer continually shoots an arrow that comes back to hit him in the back every time he shoots. Two women seem to be bracing for a fight but don’t ever strike one another, just continually pull on a cloth that is connecting the two of them like a game of tug-of-war. A man rearranges televisions with numbers changing on the screens as if he’s trying to put them in order before the numbers change. A ballerina with a blindfold on is standing on a platform with a changing projected number on the bottom that is seemingly counting her kicks. Two women race towards an ever-moving finish line.
Each event seems impossible to win. It’s as if the repetition of each event comes to no conclusion, showing these people working towards a goal that is ultimately unattainable. Until, that is, they each realize this for themselves.
The sports themed video directed by Lisa Paclet leaves you wanting more and a little bit unsatisfied, seeing as we’re programmed to root for a winner and see someone winning a sporting event that makes sense. Since the competition is set up in a confusing manner, that’s exactly the point: it’s meant to confuse you.
Visually stunning and equally as electric as the new single, “Glory” continues Jean-Michel Jarre’s electronic legacy. You can watch the new video below.
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