Mixhell & Joe Goddard – Killer Whale (Video Premiere)

Following the release of Killer Whale from Brazilian husband and wife duo Mixhell (who also play together in Soulwax’s live touring band) and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, the trio are now ready to show off the single’s colourful accompanying music video, created by the politically-driven São Paulo collective Brechó Replay.

After being away from home for so many years, Mixhell decided to work with the Brazillian collective to help try and get back in touch with what’s going on in their home country. "Through our long time collaborators Planalto we heard about this upcoming crew," Mixhell tell us. "They are a collective of artists, stylists, video makers and second hand clothes sellers. We trusted them to create their story and were amazed by the spontaneity of the result. It is honest, it shows them in their environment, the city where Mixhell came from, and it's crazy fun. It is great to see a crew developing like they are."

Of the video, Leo Portillho from Brechó Replay says, "We thought about how killer whales are sweet and sociable, especially due to the romantic domestication of these animals which still happens to this day. In reality, these are ferocious animals who follow their instincts – the Orca is one of the world's largest predators.

"Comparing this mistaken vision about the whale to how society perceives us through our stereotypes," Portilho continues, "we decided to make a nonsense video where we present subversive personalities such as Angel, Demon and Snake to question how society perceives us through the available stereotypes of style and race. It is also an abstract piece which invites the viewer to reflect freely."

When it came to creating the single together, Mixhell’s Laima Leyton says: "We often go to Joe's studio for jams. Not necessarily [for] making music, but actually playing with his instruments, relaxed from the task of having to end a piece of music. Joe has a Yamaha CS-80, and also the ARP 2600, the Roland System 100 and many other pieces of gear we love.

"The CS-80 was a bit ill, one would say, 'not sounding how it should'," Leyton continues, "[but] we did not mind – not at all. We thought it was making fun sounds, amazing whale sounds, full of texture and possibilities. We played with it a lot, until we established a conversation in between us and that 'whale sound'. All of the other sounds evolved around the 'whale': beautiful Omnichord, atmospheric drum rolls, acoustic snare build-ups and drum machines. It felt natural, it felt sonically right. We had to add an abstract vocal to tell the story clearly."

Joe Goddard adds: "Making tunes with Mixhell is banging. We spend some time jamming on the System 100 and the ARP and the Moog and the CS-80 and then Laima goes away and turns the session into a lost 808 State balearic house classic about killer whales. It’s the best!"

The Skinny are delighted to be premiering the video for Killer Whale in the YouTube player above (click here if it's not displaying correctly).

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Killer Whale is out now via Delayed Records; the single will be followed by two remixes later this month from Digitalism and Tim Goldsworthy

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