We’ve been working with super cool London-based illustrator mcbess on an amazing project. A fan of ours as much as we’re fans of his, he’s been exploring who we are and has listened carefully to us talk about our vision of breaking down the barriers to music discovery worldwide.
We fell in love with his distinctive, powerful hand as he brought to life our belief that music is a universal language that can’t be restrained or repressed. His illustrations are inspired by everyday life, by music and musical instruments that are re-modeled and contorted to create a distinctive Deezer microcosm.
In mainly black graphics mcbess unfolds an energetic and surreal narrative in which music is uncorked, bottled and finally released for mass enjoyment and celebration. The film has a revolutionary, riotous atmosphere that shows the vigor and force of music physically smashing boundaries in mcbess’s signature kinetic style. Featuring musicians with feral grins and flexuous instruments the film is set to a thunderous new remix of Pop Levi’s genre-defiant track ‘Wannamama’.
mcbess said: “When you draw you draw what you know. I have been using Deezer for many years, and music is very important to me, so I was eager to be involved in this project.”
“This is one of the best pieces of my work out there. It is a genuine collaboration and it’s the first time I have been able to see my drawings animate in a way that is true to my style: black and white, fluid and full of energy. Imperfections are all part of the charm, and the overall effect is dark, dynamic and a little risqué – like an old fashioned Betty Boop cartoon with a rock and roll vibe – which suits the Deezer brand perfectly.”
Our CEO Axel says: “Deezer is a pure music player. We live music, we breathe music, we are music. Our passion for music makes us unique. We’re all about new discoveries and possibilities, which is why through Deezer you can access music across all devices and through all browsers worldwide, offline and multi-local; from hi-fi to smartphones, from home to the car or the great outdoors, from your own music to your friends’ music.”
“This bold new collaboration with mcbess represents the first step of a plan to interrogate our global brand proposition through creative partnerships and executions. As a musician and a visual artist, mcbess was the standout candidate for our first collaboration. The film perfectly captures the restless, explosive spirit of our brand and exposes Deezer’s core belief of music without boundaries.”
Check out the 30 second animation worldwide on Deezer: www.deezer.com/app/unleashed