Montell2099 and Trap Nation have shared a stunning live set from Auckland's Karekare beach and honestly it's one of the most amazing things we've seen in the age of virtual concerts.
Montell shared a little bit of an explanation of the video on social media after teasing it a few days earlier.
'New Zealand / Aotearoa is home, and we are blessed to be surrounded by the craziest landscapes,' he wrote. 'I’m excited to finally release a video that we’ve been working on for the past couple of months. We wanted to showcase the beautiful country we live in, whilst also putting our art on display in a different way.'
An official press release dove further into the cultural significance, reading 'the immersive short film is an intersection between New Zealand’s natural environment and Montell2099’s digital dimension.'
'Shot in Karekare, a small coastal settlement rich with native Māori history in Auckland, New Zealand, the film highlights Montell2099’s cultural identity as sacred land becomes the visionary’s stage'
“When I was making the set I'd bring up pictures of the location to reference the vibe of the set, and try to imagine the songs playing out in that setting,” Montell said. “Since COVID hit and live shows took a back step, DJ’s all over the world have been doing different online stream videos. Playing off that we wanted to do something a bit out of the ordinary and beautiful. Essentially it's a music video but for a live set. Which I think is pretty cool…”
According to the press release, 'each point of the triangular light installation symbolizes the link between Montell2099’s music and his Māori heritage; as he exchanges energy between earth and electronic music.'
Montell also thanked the crew behind the video on social media.
'I wanna say a massive thank you to Ben Dalgleish from Human Person (Creative Direction), Angus Muir (Lighting Design), Matt Clode (Filming, Editing), Dan Woolston, and all the team for their amazing work on this project. Hope you guys enjoy the video out now on Trap Nation.
Will see you at some shows soon…'
Check the full 30 minute vid up top and Montell's post below!
