A lo-fi voyage through a psychedlic mindscape, this music video for Metronomy’s ‘Walking In The Dark’ was never meant to be overthought. Designed with intentioned indifference, the piece embraces a playful rawness - melding the band into a stylized 3D universe inspired by the experimental and nostalgic Metronomy Forever aesthetic.
Rather than chase technical polish, the creative direction leaned into a sense of freedom and nonchalance - qualities that sit at the heart of both the track and the album it came from. Metronomy Forever marked a shift for the band: open, weird, and wonderfully unfiltered. This video reflects that ethos, championing instinct over intricacy.
The result? A digital fever dream that embraces its own playful absurdity. With over 3 million views on YouTube, the video was recieved warmly by fans and critics alike.
Director: Joe Wright
Creative Direction & 3D: Clara Bacou
3D Artist: Etienne Fagnere
Producer: Mayling Wong
DOP: Arthur Loveday
1st AD: Tom Wynborne
Production Manager: Joe Browne
Editor: Thomas Bridgen
Post House: Glassworks
Colourist: Jonny Thorpe
Post Producer: Chloe Ensor
One of the standout sounds of ‘Walking In The Dark’ is the Balinese gamelan instrument, specifically the Reyong, a set of bronze gongs played with mallets, traditionally used in ceremonial and ensemble music in Bali. Its ornate golden carvings and mythological creature motifs aren't just decorative, they’re deeply spiritual and symbolic in Balinese culture, often representing protection and power.
For the music video, this instrument appears as both a sound element and a visual totem, grounding the surreal digital world in something real, handcrafted, and culturally rich.
Rather than using this element as an exotic prop, it feels subtly integrated—a nod to the kind of eclectic global references that run through Metronomy Forever as well. Just like the album, the video blends high-art and kitsch, lo-fi and high-craft, Western pop with global texture. The inclusion of the gamelan piece adds a ritualistic, meditative undertone to the opening - a contrast to the saturated chaos that follows.