The Ruby Suns - Desert Of Pop

What this video is

Released in 2014 as a video for the 2013 album Christopher (Lil' Chief Records / Sub Pop), 'Desert of Pop' sits within a vibrant period of New Zealand indie creativity in which Auckland-based artists were gaining international recognition through labels like Sub Pop. The Ruby Suns — led by California-born, Auckland-based Ryan McPhun — blended Scandinavian synth-pop influences absorbed during a stint in Oslo with…

Why it matters

A key artifact of early-2010s New Zealand electro-indie-pop, documenting the moment the Ruby Suns fully transitioned into a polished synth-pop project while retaining artisanal visual values. The video's handmade animation language situates it within a tradition of labour-intensive indie video…

The director

New Zealand-born director, photographer, and writer. Fascinated with film since age nine; attended film school in Sydney. Built career directing music videos for Kiwi artists including The Ruby Suns, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, The Datsuns, Bic Runga,…