Many people spent the isolated time of the past two years learning new skills, from cooking and baking to playing instruments to writing poetry. For Matt Johnson of indie electronic duo Matt and Kim, it was learning how to use 3D-animation software. And yesterday (Oct. 13), he revealed these skills in their latest music video for “Steal a Yellow Cab.”
The video features the artists riding around in a taxi that looks more real than they do: they are cartoon people, animated in a style reminiscent of a-ha’s “Take on Me” video or the illustrative movie posters for Juno and Napoleon Dynamite. It’s both quirky and dramatic, with blue lights dancing across the screen as well as explosions more akin to a Michael Bay movie. As this explosion transitions into more of a storm of fireflies, the song transitions into a lighter and higher-pitched sound, bringing together the innocent chaos of the song.
According to an Instagram video posted by Matt on the duo’s account, he and Kim shot it “in front of a green screen in our living room and then used some nerd skills!”
In September, the duo performed two intimate shows at the TV Eye venue in New York, limiting their capacity to 250 people. These shows were the first in over two years, with their last performances being in their fall 2019 tour celebrating the ten-year-anniversary of their 2009 album Grand. They have since released five albums and other lively music videos, including the dance-heavy production for “RARARA.” The Brooklyn-based group showcases fun and vitality in each of their tracks and videos, and “Steal a Yellow Cab” is no exception.
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