Newcastle artist Atlas Franklin Alexander creates music to soundtrack your dreamscape, blending elements of psych-pop, atmospheric 80s sounds and a vulnerable pen with the nonsensical elements of a life beyond your waking moments. 

Every song – and its paired visuals – has a heartbeat, thumping to a deeper storyline that explores an incessant need to find clarity and understanding amid confusion, and fix things that may be broken. Alexander dissects the tension that fills the human experience during its most challenging times, when faced with decisionmaking that isn’t entirely reliant on rationale. He takes this raw storytelling further through his music videos, having directed many of his own video clips throughout his career, including the one for his most recent release New Remedy. 

If its candied harmonies, whimsical hooks and synth-laden production weren’t already sticking to your psyche like glue, it’s the bold, deliciously absurd music video for New Remedy that’s destined to linger. Working with long-time collaborators Harri Gilbert and Dave Fulham, Alexander takes obscurity to a new level, encapsulating the sonics and storyline of the track through many distinct characters, including a green man dancing in a kitchen and a girl in love with a robot.

“The video is a bit of an abstract reflection of the song’s themes—like an exploration of the different facets of human experience. You’ve got the green man dancing in the kitchen—he’s kind of a symbol for something that’s “other,” something outside the typical norm. There’s the girl who is in love with a robot—representing that strange tension between human connection and the things we create,” he said.

“I’d say in 5-10 years these kinds of relationships with robots will become our reality. Then we have the fortune teller, predicting what is all about to unfold, and finally we got the gang of youths and I’m there, singing the song, trying to make sense of it all. It’s about navigating confusion and finding that piece of clarity, even in the midst of chaos.”

While much of his creative flowstate exists within the music process, visually capturing the music in its entirety also fuels that fire. For The Music, Atlas Franklin Alexander lets us in on the music videos that inspire his artistic lens.

Aphex Twin - Windowlicker (1999)

This video, directed by Chris Cunningham, is a surreal masterpiece that blends unsettling visuals with the twisted, glitchy rhythms of Aphex Twin. The eerie transformation of faces and the bizarre, dream-like sequences feel like something out of a fever dream. Cunningham has this incredible ability to make the weirdest ideas seem strangely beautiful. It’s as if the video is just as uncomfortable as it is mesmerizing

Jamie xx - Gosh (2016)

Directed by Romain Gavras, this video takes you on a journey through a futuristic, abstract world of vibrant, shifting landscapes. With Gosh, he adds a sense of motion and fluidity that matches Jamie xx’s smooth, rhythmic beats. The city is alive, evolving, and constantly in flux—just like the track itself. It’s a visual dance that pulls you in.

The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up (1997)

This iconic and controversial video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the Swedish filmmaker behind some of the most visually striking music videos. With its first-person POV, the video follows a wild, unfiltered night out that culminates in a weird twist. Massive vibe.

Gesaffelstein - Pursuit (2013)

The video for Pursuit, directed by the duo of Fleur & Manu, is minimal yet stunning. It takes place in a sleek, monochrome world that echoes the dark, industrial tones of Gesaffelstein’s music. It’s cold, sleek, and intense, just like the track. They manage to bring out the beauty in the darkest of atmospheres.

M.I.A. - Bad Girls (2012)

Directed by Romain Gavras, a ride through the desert that brings M.I.A.’s vibe to life. With incredible visuals, the video plays with themes of empowerment, freedom, and defiance. The whole video is a celebration of taking risks and breaking boundaries.

Die Antwoord - Baby’s on Fire (2012)

This gloriously bizarre video was directed by Ninja and Terence Neale. The vibrant, chaotic visuals mirror the band’s jarring sound. It’s a blend of high art and ghetto street vibes that somehow is both unsettling and addictive. They manage to make something grotesque feel oddly captivating.

Justice - Stress (2007)

Directed by the duo of Gilles & Sean. Stress is a whirlwind of violent, chaotic energy. The video captures the frustration and aggression that the track oozes, showing a group of youths wreaking havoc in the streets. The video is raw, relentless, and maybe even mirrors the track with its visuals that refuse to let up.

Travis Scott - Sicko Mode (2018) 

Directed by Dave Meyers and Travis Scott, Sicko Mode is a visual journey through multiple dimensions. The video is a trip—literally, with seamless transitions from scene to scene that make it feel like you’re constantly shifting realities.

Fatboy Slim - Praise You (1998)

Directed by Spike Jonze, this video is a quirky piece that brings to life the joy of spontaneous expression. The impromptu street dance moves have become iconic. It’s charming, real, and refreshingly unpolished. It only cost $800 to make.

A$AP Mob - Yamborghini High (2016)

Directed by A$AP Rocky, Yamborghini High is a visual feast. The video mixes surreal, almost dreamlike sequences. The song is a massive vibe too, always gets ear wormed in my brain.

Atlas Franklin Alexander’s new EP Flexible New Replica is out now. Check it out below.