Record Label Spotlight: Merge Records

We also promoted Spoon’s video for “Written in Reverse” in February 2010. Here, things take a little bit of a turn. Instead of sweeping camera angles, this video is shot in stark black and white and is filmed in extreme close range with the members. Viewers get the sense of being in the pit of the venue looking up at the band. It’s cool, intriguing, and maybe a little mysterious, all of which makes for an awesome video.

We also got the chance to work with the Shout Out Louds in August and November of 2011. Shout Out Louds are an indie pop band from Stockholm, Sweden, that was formed in 2001. This band has made its mark all over the world, from Stockholm to England to the US. Their album Howl Howl Gaff Gaff was very well received in the UK, and their music has been featured on shows like One Tree Hill and The OC. In August of 2007, HIP Video Promo worked with them for the first time and promoted their video for “Tonight I Have To Leave It”. The video, directed by bassist Ted Malmros plays like a documentary on a huge transport ship. It’s all cramped, steamy, and exactly what you might expect being on a ship. The idea of this video came from the band’s dream to play every port in the world. The second video we got to promote for them was back in November 2007 with their video for “Impossible”. Ted doubles up as director again for this clip. This time we’re transported to a bustling and energetic amusement park. The bright lights of the games and rides weave in and out of each other while the band wanders around. It’s not long before the group breaks off, and everyone starts wandering off on their own. The song may be energetic, but there’s something about the video that’s ominous and keeps you hooked to the very end.

Another Merge artist we had the pleasure of working with is She & Him. She & Him is an American musical duo consisting of the extremely talented Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. They released their first album, Volume One, through Merge in 2008 and have been dazzling the entertainment industry ever since. When she’s not being hilarious on New Girl or intriguing in 500 Days of Summer, Zooey is known for having quite a beautiful voice. In March of 2010, HIP Video Promo promoted their video “In The Sun”. In this video, She & Him take us all back to the halls and classrooms of high school. The video starts with M. Ward walking down the hallway without a care in the world, completely oblivious to the dancing mob behind him. Zooey leads this dancing mob and is eager to get his attention. The upbeat, peppy music makes us feel we’re right in the middle of the musical. Another video we got to work with She & Him on was “I Could’ve Been Your Girl” back in June of 2013. For this video, Zooey takes the reins and steps in as director. This video follows the same concept as the “In The Sun” video: here, we see Zooey and a group of dancers trying to get M. Ward’s attention. This time the choreography is sharper, and the colors are incredibly vibrant – making it a tad harder to ignore. This video takes us out of the normalcy of everyday life and plops us right in the middle of a retro feeling musical.

The next Merge artist we’ve gotten to work with is Bob Mould. Bob Mould, a founding member of Hüsker Dü, has been quite the pioneer in the world of alternative music. From punk rock to hardcore punk and everything in between, Bob Mould has dabbled in everything. In February of 2016, HIP Video Promo worked with him on his video for “Voice In My Head” off his 2016 album Patch The Sky. The song addresses some of the deeper messages on his album, like accepting the things we can’t change no matter how challenging it might be. The video shows Bob sitting on the edge of the bed while Bob’s clones surround him, each dressed the same and trying to gain control over the real Bob. Director Alicia J. Rose illustrates that even after all this chaos, a new chapter is just about to start. We got to work with Bob again in April of 2016 to promote his video for “Hold On”. This video picks up right where the “Voices In My Head” video left off. The different personas of Bob finally disappear as the next day starts. Still shaken from the night before, Bob tries to let go of what happened by going for a walk in the fog and rain while strangers come up to him and reminding him to hold on. The tension finally leaves him when he gets on stage at a bar and sings his heart out – it’s the perfect ending to this storyline.

Most recently, we had the pleasure of working with M. Ward. M. Ward is the “Him” in the She & Him, but when he’s not working with Zoey, he’s crafting and honing his own sound. Since 1999 M. Ward has released a total of 10 studio albums and has been going ever since. In February of 2016, HIP Video Promo promoted his video for “Girl From Conejo Valley” from his 2016 release More Rain. In this video, we’re introduced to a few different characters, each one representing a side to Conejo Valley. When we’re not learning about “Slow Brain” Winterhart, “Slow Thinking” Lincoln, or “Moto-Cycle” Wilson, we get sweeping overhead shots of the gorgeous valley – a valley with its own story to tell.

Over the years, Merge Records has introduced the music industry to some of the most notable artists out there. What first started as a favor to some friends ended up catapulting them nationwide and worldwide. In many ways, Merge themselves are like the underdog, they may be small, but they sure are mighty. That’s why they’re so good at what they do and why they’re one of the most iconic labels in the music industry.

Written by HIP Administrative Assistant Rebecca Karaman.