Journey Into Björk’s Mouth for Jesse Kanda-Directed 'Mouth Mantra' Video [WATCH]

Björk has shared a new video for "Mouth Mantra" from this year's Vulnicura. In the Jesse Kanda-directed journey into the depths of the experimental Icelandic artist's mouth, fans experience the songs from the lyrics' perspective, trapped within a cavern of tastebuds and (notably perfect) teeth until the cameras shift at the video's end to focus instead on the singer's dancing. Watch "Mouth Mantra" below.

The video feels like a somewhat stressful trip with The Magic School Bus' Ms. Frizzle, only it explores themes of body dysmorphia and vulnerability in general instead of whatever PBS kids' shows in the 1990s were about. In a statement to Dazed, who premiered the video, Kanda said "If there's one thing I'd like for people to take away from this video, it's the power of vulnerability," and what's more vulnerable than welcoming the world inside one's mouth? The director added that "it's about having the courage to express yourself and seeing yourself in that mirror. Doing something that scares the sh*t out of you and sharing it, growing from it, spreading love and courage to others and making the world a warmer place to be and relate to each other."

Technically speaking, the new video was no small feat to create. Björk described the process as a "journey," explaining to Dazed "it was brave of [Kanda] to take it on and i feel spoiled having witnessed him grow, making hi tech mouth models and inventing cameras all to match a little therapeutic song about the throat."

Pitchfork points out that Kanda's ongoing video collaboration with Arca entitled Trauma also involved a trip into somebody's mouth. The series features songs from Arca's &&&&& and as of now there are two parts posted to the artist's YouTube. Watch Trauma Scene Two below.

Meanwhile, Björk has her own virtual reality app coming out soon that will feature 360 degree videos for "Mouth Mantra," "Black Lake" and "Stonemilker," Dazed also reports. Back in 2012, she had released an album alongside a series of iPad apps before that was much of a thing, and each the videos on their own are already pushing the boundaries of digital art, so here's looking forward to seeing what the pioneering pop cyborg has up her weird sleeves next.

Tags

Bjork, Arca