11/100 Video - "Everything You Do Is A Balloon" – Boards of Canada (1996)

The two brothers that make up this enigmatic group have said the name for "Boards of Canada" originates from educational videos made by the Canadian National Film Board in the 1960s and 70s. We Gen-X-ers will recall these films were once shown to us on a real projector in the elementary school AV room.

These short films tend to feature a lot of analog synth sounds, another core foundation of the BOC sound.

Although there are no lyrics for "Everything You Do Is A Balloon", the ambiguous title itself makes you think of endless interpretations.

The video makes me think of my carefree childhood, despite the ominous fates of most of the kids riding bicycles in a nameless suburb of Middle America. 

The clip fits so perfectly with the epic progressive of the synths and percussion. 

And the retro animation is super haunting and nostalgic. Like a twisted, after-hours episode of Sesame Street.

I was blown away to learn that the video was not originally made by the artist, but rather sampled from a 1963 bicycle safety movie called "One Got Fat".

25/100 Video - "Virtual Insanity" - Jamiroquai (1996)

The optical illusions in the eye-catching video for "Virtual Insanity" by Jamiroquai were not made using computers.

You will see in several shots, chairs or couches are fixed to the walls so that they appear to be standing still, when in fact they are moving.

Video director Jonathan Glazer describes how the walls move on a stationary grey floor with no detail, to give the illusion that objects on the floor are moving. 

Singer-dancer Jason Kay confesses to having become ”a bit dizzy” during the carefully choreographed shoot.

83/100 Video - "The New Pollution" - Beck (1996)

As a rock star, Beck is predictably unpredictable. 

"The New Pollution" is the epitome of random weirdness, but in a good way.

In the earlier clips, the dancers display a myriad of American clichés while Beck's dance moves are stiff. 

But by the the end of the video, Beck finds his groove and busts some serious moves including the splits.

About halfway through the clip there is a reference to synth legends Kraftwerk. 

 

1996 - "1979" - The Smashing Pumpkins

The 80s influences are obvious with the dreamy, spacey atmosphere. Corgan's hushed vocals and nostalgic lyrics evoke carefree and reckless emotions you felt while growing up.  

I massacred those high notes before getting pulled off the stage during karaoke, before even reaching the second chorus. 

A great year in music paying tribute to another great year. This one falls in the top 10 of all time.

Other favourites from 1996: 

"Midnight in A Perfect World" – DJ Shadow

"Where It’s At" – Beck 

"Virtual Insanity" – Jamiroquai 

"Everything You Do is a Balloon" – Boards of Canada

"Fast Love" – George Michael 

"Stupid Girl" - Garbage

"Ready to Go" - Republica