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February 17, 2009

New Kanye West Video - "Welcome To Heartbreak"

thumbnail icon: New Kanye West Video - "Welcome To Heartbreak"

The other day Ray Tintori introduced the world to an advance in the realm of visual mind-fuckery with his missing keyframe-simulating, pixel-morphing video for Chairlift's "Evident Utensil." Now just imagine how enraged blogger Kanye was when everybody sent him that link, knowing he was sitting on this Nabil-directed clip. More like "Welcome To Getting Pwned By Chairliftbreak," right? (No.) Although, as commenter Jonze had wished, it appears Nabil was more interested than Tintori in exploring some of this new technology's choreographic and conceptual possibility.

Pretty rad. But not FIRST!!1! And that's what the internet cares about. Well Kanye addresses that on kanYe West: Blog:

This is not the next single, "Amazing" is the next single.

This is the video we've been working on for the last month.

We know there is another video out there using the same technique so we were forced to drop it now.

It's OK, Kanye. Yours is the the most gayest.

UPDATE: Now what if I tell you that isn't even the original video, and the original video is even more mind-blowing (sorry Nabil). Whoops I just told you all that. Believe it:

Thanks for the tip, Aziz.

Posted at 6:48 PM by amrit in
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54 Comments

i hate to say it but this video is awesome.

also, i don't hate to say it.

also, no one cares that chairlift did it first. chairlift who?

Posted by: grace6697 profile link at 02/17/09 7:34 PM  | Reply
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This.

Posted by: starrynights profile link  in reply to grace6697's comment at 02/17/09 7:37 PM  | Reply
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i care that chairlift did it first.

i care more that chairlift did it better... and with a significantly less embarrassing song.

Posted by: anonymous(e). at 02/17/09 7:44 PM  | Reply
Score = -24 Vote up Vote down

I don't get what's embarrassing. Are you the one who's embarrassed?

Posted by: internet gangsta  in reply to anonymous(e).'s comment at 02/17/09 7:53 PM  | Reply
Score = 15 Vote up Vote down

Thanks to Stereogum who remember that Ray and Chairlift debuted this technology a week ago. This video is sweet, but Ray didn't direct it, and he invented the technique. And Chairlift and Kanye are destined to tour together. They would be a great bill!!!

Posted by: Silverhawk profile link at 02/17/09 8:06 PM  | Reply
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God, what a stupid song

Posted by: anonymous at 02/17/09 8:25 PM  | Reply
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It's official. It's the 80's again. And thats okay.

Posted by: Mustafa profile link at 02/17/09 8:27 PM  | Reply
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"if i don't win, the awards show loses credibility!"

i fucking hate kanye west. i don't give a shit how good your art is - shrink your head one hundred fold, then i may begin to appreciate it.

Posted by: pat at 02/17/09 8:28 PM  | Reply
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I too think Chairlift's is better, but they aren't the only one that Kanye's "copying." Check out the "Are You The One?" video by the Presets. The effect's not as integral to the video, but it's definitely a feature.

Posted by: djkess profile link at 02/17/09 8:36 PM  | Reply
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Nice Cosby Sweater.

Posted by: djjazzy276 at 02/17/09 8:40 PM  | Reply
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something's wrong with the video encoding.

/sarc

Posted by: i am the greatest artist ever!!!!!1!1!!! at 02/17/09 8:43 PM  | Reply
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First Theo's frollet. Now Bill's sweater. Will the progression of this Huxtable renaissance inevitably lead to Denise's dreads?

Posted by: bananafana feux at 02/17/09 9:04 PM  | Reply
Score = 9 Vote up Vote down

"This is not the next single, 'Amazing' is the next single."

I thought "See You in My Nightmares" was the next single. Yet again, Wikipedia had lied to me. :( Which I find weird since Wikipedia has cover artwork for the single too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_You_in_My_Nightmares

Posted by: Aaron profile link at 02/17/09 9:06 PM  | Reply
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""See You in My Nightmares" is the third single from Kanye West's fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak, and the fourth single from the album."

Oh wikipedia.

Posted by: Ray  in reply to Aaron's comment at 02/18/09 12:23 AM  | Reply
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Is this song a joke?

"my friend showed me pictures of his kids, And all I could show him was pictures of my cribs. He said his daughter got a brand new report card and all I got was a brand new sports car"

That has got to be some of the worst songwriting I've ever seen

Posted by: umm at 02/17/09 9:07 PM  | Reply
Score = -8 Vote up Vote down

Are you kidding? I mean, it's simple and stripped down. But that's part of what a lot of this album is suppossed to be. He sticks to 808s and autotune and doesn't go much past that. The lyrics themselves are simple as well. I find what he says true and honest...and in that case he definitely excells at it. Considering you have people talking about moving their body's like a cyclone, and i like her, and i like her, i wanna fuck ever girl in the world. And compaired to those who are far more popular and less artistic and more cliche and typical than this. I'm happy with what Kanye did with this album. And all of the videos so far. This is by far my favourite video from the new album, right in front of heartless...and I think it beats Chairlift's usage of it for sure. Just some reflection on it. Maybe not the best songwriting out there compaired to some of the greats, but far ahead of his scene for sure.

Posted by: colton  in reply to umm's comment at 02/17/09 10:57 PM  | Reply
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Stripped down? Are you kidding me? Do you even know what an 808 sounds like, because I'm hearing maybe it in maybe 1/10th of this song. 808s don't make pianos, strings, synth sweeps, or even most of the drums sounds you hear. There is nothing "stripped down" about this outside of the fact that the alternative at this stage would be for Kanye to dive off the deep end and sample Led Zepplin.

Posted by: Lord Kook  in reply to colton's comment at 02/18/09 12:53 PM  | Reply
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This lyric seemed funny to me too, but only because I'd prefer a sports car over a kid. I think the car would be cheaper and more emotionally rewarding in the long haul.

Posted by: TD  in reply to umm's comment at 02/22/09 10:43 AM  | Reply
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ART WINS!!!!!!

Posted by: Kanye at 02/17/09 9:52 PM  | Reply
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RAY TINTORI DID NOT NOT NOT INVENT SHIT...a japanese guy has been doing it for art for a while..... ALSO.... The presets were def the first i have seen use it... and did very well...

Posted by: happy for ART at 02/17/09 9:56 PM  | Reply
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i havent even watched the video yet and i already know what i'm gonna say about it...best ever.

Posted by: Ron Jenkins profile link at 02/17/09 10:37 PM  | Reply
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dude his lyrics are HORRIBLE here. maybe you should reconsider, scott.

Posted by: norovirus profile link at 02/17/09 10:39 PM  | Reply
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actually to be fair, momus released a video by Jordan Fish of his and Germlin's Ashes to Ashes cover using this compression-as-function style back in SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR. so, technically, kanye didn't lost to chairlift.

http://vimeo.com/2834090

so there's that.

Posted by: hardtoucher at 02/17/09 10:46 PM  | Reply
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This video really whips the llama's ass.

Posted by: Intense at 02/17/09 10:55 PM  | Reply
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Wayhey! Wesley Willis. Call dude, way to give me nostalgic whiplash.

Posted by: warchef  in reply to Intense's comment at 02/20/09 1:27 PM  | Reply
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and my friend said this about it:


i on the other hand think that he is breaking down the shallow materialistic lifestyles that seem to take the forefront of the rap scene, in simple terms

without dressing anything up in metaphors, he gets across his point and feelings perfectly, and that's just as good as any writing that is dressed up in metaphors and similes and big fancy words

Posted by: colton at 02/17/09 11:02 PM  | Reply
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No idiot, them lyrics are "Kanye" 's attempt at humble and suffering martyr because he's so brilliant but no one really appreciates it. By the way most of these rap stars and their rap scene that your friend suppose are materialistic, etc. have kids and they all do all that family shit. Kanye is just crying like a bitch that he doesn't have time to do it. Stop being a romantic fag, open your eyes and take a good look around you. Musicians just like to complain and cry and whine lot (that is, the ones that aren't busy being materialistic) The video is just distracting.

Posted by: Anonymous  in reply to colton's comment at 02/18/09 11:31 AM  | Reply
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pretty rad. im not the biggest fan of the song but the video is definitely pretty cool.

Posted by: alex at 02/17/09 11:10 PM  | Reply
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you know it's the internet when two only remotely similar videos debut in the same week and then everyone bitches at each other

Posted by: grover profile link at 02/17/09 11:15 PM  | Reply
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Everyone here owe Kris Moyes and The Presets money

http://www.kmoyes.com/presets_ayto_320.mov
circa 2005

Posted by: aaron at 02/17/09 11:17 PM  | Reply
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Er, not EVERYONE, but at least Chairlift and Kanye West.

Posted by: aaron  in reply to aaron's comment at 02/17/09 11:21 PM  | Reply
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way cooler than chairlift, even if he is a motherfucker.

Posted by: Tori at 02/17/09 11:31 PM  | Reply
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"this new technology's choreographic and conceptual possibility"? This video just looks like my computer screen is fucking up.

Posted by: Ray at 02/18/09 12:17 AM  | Reply
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Better than all the yuppie dinner party music that passes for Indie rock in 09

Posted by: yep at 02/18/09 1:01 AM  | Reply
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chairlift didn't 'invent' that technique by any means.

and also this owns the chairlift video, partly because it's just better, and partly because instead of 3 pretentious hipsters and a shit song, this has one dude with a massive ego, a decent song, and a jerry curl.

Posted by: drab at 02/18/09 1:54 AM  | Reply
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checked out the charilift video, i dont think anyone is gonna care if kanye took it from them. haha. if anything, he's gonna get more ppl to know who they are bc that song n video sucks.

Posted by: lron85 at 02/18/09 2:07 AM  | Reply
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Jordan Ficsh is totally on Ray's team, and helped edit this video. No one is saying Chairlift invented it. Kanye's video was produced by the company ray worked for after the Chairlift vid. Whatever... The Chairlift video is amazing. so is the kanye video

Posted by: duh! at 02/18/09 2:13 AM  | Reply
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This video could be significantly improved with some penises and vagina ghosts.

Posted by: thefaintingcycle at 02/18/09 12:20 PM  | Reply
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Kanye's megalomania has collapsed under it's own weight and become parody. When I saw the opening of this video, with his uber-serious mug flying towards the camera, wearing that horrible sweater, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I wonder if he knows that he's coming across so retarded?

Posted by: Lord Kook at 02/18/09 12:44 PM  | Reply
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yeah a guy by the name of takashi murata has been rocking this effect since at least '04... here's a shitty clip of one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVdpiq4lS0o

Posted by: ballz2wallz at 02/18/09 12:54 PM  | Reply
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Jonze' qualms with the chairlift vid is the same reason I think it trumps Kanye's.

Using the low-budge outdoor footage gives it soul, rather than being like "Hey, we have a ton of money, lets get all cgi". (I thought the same thing about "Time to Pretend") Using nature that morphs into sur-reality gives the viewer a chance to make a connection between something they're familiar with and the psychedelic shit - hence making the video more interactive with the viewers mind, rather than spoon fed.

Posted by: bammy at 02/18/09 12:56 PM  | Reply
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DOES ANY ONE have this version of this song cuz i cant bloody find any version but the album version, and it dont have the piano in it

Posted by: MuRpH at 02/18/09 2:14 PM  | Reply
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People complaining about a rapper complaining...interesting, what's also interesting is that people just came on to this to gripe about Kanye like he will suddenly fall on this website (while talking to his gay/dope pals on messenger) and just give up on life altogether. But whatever, the video itself is a technical masterpiece in the terms of forward-thinking filmmaking despite its use of the same technology that is in Chairlift's Evident Utensil, it's a shame that it won't be released but being in a time where the only thing that people seem to take any interest in is new, I can understand the reasons for getting rid. The song is not Kanye's best, lyrically but has strong melodies and presents the pop elements to 808s.

Posted by: TT at 02/18/09 4:39 PM  | Reply
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What's 'interesting' is you complaining about people not really complaining about a whining, complaining rapper. I don't understand what your point was in pointing out, erroneously by the way, other people's intentions in their comments. No one was addressing Kanye hoping he shows up here. We're addressing each other. Comprende?

Posted by: Titty  in reply to TT's comment at 02/18/09 11:31 PM  | Reply
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I like your use of the collective 'we', it really gives the sense that you're representing the stereogum community instead of passing it off as your own opinion but I was referring to the eloquent yet particularly angry response of 'pat' on this video, who wasn't really giving any opinion on the video (which is good despite it's sluggish lyrics) but on Kanye himself which I didn't believe was that productive. I hope that cleared everything for you

Posted by: TT  in reply to Titty's comment at 02/19/09 3:45 PM  | Reply
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Ok, so having seen everyone's attempt at this pixel stuff, from the original japanese guy's, to the preset one, to the chairlift one, to this one, I can definitely say that this is the best.

Posted by: Elvis vs. Shark profile link at 02/19/09 2:11 PM  | Reply
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Say You Will should be the next single

Posted by: theniall profile link at 02/19/09 2:30 PM  | Reply
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The "japanese guy" is video artist Takeshi Murata.

Clip: (offscreen)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d87FaWdj3L0

Posted by: spence at 02/19/09 8:30 PM  | Reply
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I think it's cool. I liked the Chairlift video better, but this is cooler than what you usually see in the mainstream-video-business.
Ray Tantoris style is quite unique I think. Though it's a little irritating how much the Chairlift and Kanye videos shares style here.
Anyhow, I think it's cool and inspiring for videomakers like me.

Posted by: Aske at 02/22/09 8:56 AM  | Reply
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yeah i agree. also i think the two videos are different enough to both have merit. either way, both videos are pretty amazing

Posted by: jbeatz profile link at 02/23/09 9:00 PM  | Reply
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this video looks amazing - i was honestly excited by it, not only sexually, yet mostly sexually.
N.B. i think that the fascination with yeezy's physical appearance is really interesting. that said, i think people get pissed at his confidence and arrogance and even the fact that the bitch has some bitchin' style. if everybody focused on the shit he was really putting out, like this sick vid, i think we could all get in on ye's pie
am i right.

Posted by: Brains profile link at 02/24/09 8:16 PM  | Reply
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i think this song is a good one, as i think it's about the hollowness of 'the pursuit of material things'. i can understand why this may go over some peoples heads. For me, West can do no wrong, singles- wise... this is coming from a person who is all too quick to shit over anything that is in the least bit popular.. its strange.. Kanye West's popularity raises questions in my mind about other 'artists' that were similarly as popular when i was too young to question WHY they were... its very strange.

Posted by: mashed up dundee cake at 04/15/09 4:28 PM  | Reply
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sorry kanye, sorry chairlift, but the second one up there is by far the best.

Posted by: caroline at 04/19/09 4:54 AM  | Reply
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