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MAGNET Exclusive: Premiere Of Tulipomania’s “Off The Map” Video

It’s hard not to think of Tulipomania as one of those 4AD bands you somehow missed back in the mid-’80s heyday of the influential British indie label. Sonically, the Philly band’s ever-evolving brand of dark, cinematic post-punk would’ve felt right at home alongside the likes of This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance. Visually, it’s an even more perfect match, as the incredibly art-conscious duo of vocalist/bassist/drummer Tom Murray and keyboardist/vocalist Cheryl Gelover (both visual artists) have utilized legendary 4AD graphic designer Vaughan Oliver for album packaging.

This purposeful intersection of music and visual art has always made Tulipomania videos stand out among those of their peers, many of whom take the friend-with-an-iPhone approach to videos rather than treat them like actual art. Murray and Gelover don’t disappoint with their latest clip for “Off The Map.” The song—which features Mitch Smith on guitar and was mixed by Mark Plati (Cure, New Order, Lou Reed)—is from a new double-a-side single with “On The Outside (Spinello Remix),” out now via Sursumcorda. As for the video, let’s just say it’s so good that it was selected for inclusion by a film festival (Aesthetica Short Film Festival) before it was even released. Not surprising given Tulipomania has had various works exhibited in film fests around the globe.

The collage-animation process for the “Off The Map” video was quite intensive for Murray and Gelover, who alternated fragmented self-portraits with imagery they pieced together, frame by frame, from thousands of individual sheets of paper. The result is a stunning visual that reinforces the contradictory nature of the song’s lyrics.

We’re proud to premiere the video for “Off The Map” today on magnetmagazine.com. Watch it now.