ANiML - Breather Video PREMIERE

This week, the percolating Los Angeles-based independent record label StrataSonic delivers its latest release, a two-track body of work from the equally enigmatic ANiML. Breather, which expands the label’s breadth from timeless breaks and house music to include crackling, mind-altering trip-hop and downtempo, is out now.

ANIML’s return to StrataSonic marks their second-ever release, but the quality of both tracks on Breather hints at years, if not decades, worth of combined production experience. Invoking shades of ‘90s and ‘00s masters like DJ Shadow and Portishead, both tracks, “Breather” and “Bruv,” illustrate time-lost transmissions of sophisticated yet hallucinogenic instrumentation and percussion that could belong in upscale jazz clubs or woozy after-hours sessions.

“Breather” and “Bruv” are the building blocks for a larger, forthcoming body of work by ANIML, set for release in early 2025 alongside a vinyl release, video, and extras. ANiML is not just a music project but a living, breathing art organism that challenges perceptions of sound, identity, and collective experience.

In ANiML's hypnotic new video for "Breather," acclaimed director RUFFMERCY (Thom Yorke, Nirvana, Chemical Brothers) melds raw human performance with his signature hand-drawn animation. Two performers move through a visual landscape where RUFFMERCY's vibrant artistic interventions mirror the track's emotional depths. The result is a seamless fusion of organic movement and electric color, creating a striking visual counterpart to ANIML's textured soundscape.

“Breather” immediately caught my attention with its distinctive beat, and I knew I had to make a video for it. You just know when you are the perfect fit for a track, and this was one of them. I love to work with dancers in music videos and combine their movements with animation. There’s something magical about the combination. Working on the video was a rewarding experience all around as the whole team killed it, particularly with StrataSonic's Creative Director Jesse Rogg whose strong visual references and shared appreciation for standout music videos made for a seamless collaboration. — RUFFMERCY

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