Wieden+Kennedy London, production company Immigrant Studio, and music sync company Wake the Town collaborated on this music video for music band Metronomy. The new film, “With Balance,” was ideated by W+K creative directors Lucas Reis and Charlie Lanus, with Reis making his directorial debut. “With Balance” is Metronomy’s second single off its upcoming EP, “Posse EP Volume 2,” under indie record label Ninja Tune.
The film takes viewers on an emotional journey alongside a central character who receives a pivotal phone call. Confronted by change, they delve into reflections on a relationship and navigate their own memories while on a swing set. Shot primarily in two extended takes, the video seamlessly integrates a virtual LED stage with practical elements. ”With Balance” stars actress Angela Bundalovic, who recently played the lead in the Nicolas Winding Refn series Copenhagen Cowboy on Netflix. The music video also features the vocalists on the track: Naima Bock and Joshua Idehen.
“The song has a meditative, hypnotic feel to it. Lyrically, we interpreted it as a reflection of a relationship that swings backwards and forwards,” said Brazilian-born director Reis. “The Portuguese word for a swing is ‘balanço,’ which has a lot to do with the single itself. A swing felt like a universally relatable device to visually represent this journey, and the fixed camera on a human face has always been a powerful tool to convey emotions and take listeners through a song.”
Though deceptively simple in its premise, “With Balance” itself was a technological challenge; capturing the feeling of swinging through a myriad of worlds with no cuts. However, the decision to dive into the technical details was primarily motivated by the creative idea. To achieve this, the film was shot on the world’s first full 360° LED stage in Copenhagen, Denmark, under the guidance of production facility house Nordisk Film ShortCut.
Speaking about what drew them to the project, Immigrant founder Rodrigo Saavedra explains, “I think this idea just jumped out from the moment it was committed to paper. Monstrously simple and yet somehow original. That’s what drew us in—this striking visual conceit that also perfectly matched the song.”
The music video for “With Balance” is available on Metronomy’s social channels, including Instagram and YouTube, as well as the band’s official website. Metronomy’s upcoming EP, “Posse EP Volume 2,” is slated to be released on July 12.
