CSS - Alala

What this video is

Released in October 2006, 'Alala' arrived at the apex of the mid-2000s blog-music and MySpace indie boom, when Brazilian band CSS had just signed internationally with Sub Pop Records. The video's reverse-party-fight concept engaged directly with the MTV reality-TV party excess aesthetic of the era — the director explicitly cited MTV's 'My Super Sweet Sixteen' as a cultural reference point — while subverting it…

Why it matters

As a flagship video for the electroclash-meets-dance-punk genre cluster, 'Alala' is a primary artifact of the 2006 new rave and indie-electroclash crossover moment. It bridges Brazilian DIY indie aesthetics with US/UK underground production values, and its reverse-chronology narrative device…

The director

Cat Solen is a US-based music video director active in the mid-to-late 2000s indie music scene. Confirmed credits include CSS 'Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above' and CSS 'Alala' (Version 1, 2006), both released on Sub Pop Records. Solen's work…