Welsh artist Novo Amor, aka Ali Lacey, has just released a video clip to accompany ‘Birthplace’, a new track from his forthcoming debut album of the same (due out 19 October).
The video focuses on the monolithic problem of plastic in our oceans and was shot in Komodo and Bali, Indonesia, with production duo Sil and Jorik and world-renowned freediver Michael Board.
Have a look for yourself…
Freediver Board performed over 250 freedives during the shoot, which involved the crew spending 35 hours underwater. The star of the clip is a 13-metre bamboo humpback whale sculpture, covered in plastic that was collected by local children in return for schoolbooks as part of an environmental initiative started by a local primary school.
In case you’re thinking, whoah, did they just dump a humpback whale-sized chunk of plastic in the ocean? Nope.
"On the last day of filming the whale, we disassembled it and took it out of the water,” say Sil and Jorik.
“We removed all the plastic and nets and transported the segments back to the mountain village where it was created. Here, the builders will add extra, woven bamboo to replace the plastic. Soon, it will find its final resting place on a waterfall near the village where it will become a permanent tourist attraction with a water fountain shooting from its mouth.”
Novo Amor himself has this to say about the theme of ocean plastics: “When something impacts wildlife in such a profound way, we can expect it to impact upon us. The problems are manifold, the repercussions shocking, but there are ways in which we can raise awareness of such an urgent issue, and counter it.”
The track itself is plenty beautiful enough to justify the high-budget video treatment – a sweetly harmonised life-affirming vocal line over agreeably rickety piano and fingerpicked banjo backing.
Spread the word. And, yknow, recycle. Seriously.
NOVO AMOR EUROPEAN HEADLINE TOUR DATES:
Tue Oct 16, UK, Manchester, Gorilla
Wed Oct 17, UK, Glasgow, Saint Luke's
Fri Oct 19, UK, Leeds, Community Room @ Brudenell Social Club
Sat Oct 20, UK, Brighton, The Haunt
Mon Oct 22 UK, London, Union Chapel **SOLD OUT**
Tue Oct 23 UK, London, Union Chapel **NEW DATE ADDED**
Wed Oct 24, France, Paris, La Maroquinerie
Thu 25 Oct, Germany, Heidelberg, Karlstorbahnhof
Sat Oct 27, Denmark, Copenhagen, Vega Small Hall
Sun Oct 28, Sweden, Stockholm, Kagelbanan
Tue Oct 30, Belgium, Brussels, Botanique - Orangerie
Wed Oct 31, Netherlands, Amsterdam, Paradiso Noord
Thu Nov 01, Germany, Hamburg, Gruenspan
Fri Nov 02, Germany, Berlin, Funkhausv
True to his values, Novo Amor is working with two UK charities - Julie's Bicycle and Energy Revolution - to make the shows as eco as possible. He hopes to balance his fuel consumption and Co2 emissions. This carbon offsetting idea will see him to generate clean, renewable energy in India.
