OK Go recently launched their newest album, titled “And the Adjacent Possible,” which features a music video for their latest track, “Love.” With the band best known for their visually engaging music videos involving treadmills, dogs, and Rube Goldberg machines, they describe the video for “Love” as their “most complicated” project yet. Frontman Damian Kulash and bassist Tim Nordwind shared exclusive insights with PEOPLE about the intricate process of filming, which included 29 robots and 60 mirrors.
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Nordwind and Kulash discussed the complexities involved in creating the music video, explaining how each robot had to be meticulously programmed by different teams of specialists. The precision required for every optical trick, combined with the challenging filming location in a frigid train station in Budapest, added to the intricacy of the project. Despite facing some obstacles along the way, the band viewed these challenges as necessary pivots rather than roadblocks in the creative process.
The band, comprised of multi-instrumentalist Andy Ross and drummer Dan Konopka, aimed to move away from their usual warehouse settings and sound stages for the “Love” video. Kulash highlighted the desire to capture the grandeur of a real, beautifully aged location to complement the theme of the song, which explores the evolving understanding of love, particularly through the lens of parenthood and rediscovering wonder in the world.
The use of mirrors played a significant role in conveying the concept of interconnectedness and awe in the video. Kulash emphasised how mirrors, when combined, can create a whole new dimension, symbolising the vastness and complexity of human connections. While such choreography could be accomplished with humans, the band opted for robots for their precision, aiming to underscore the theme of human connection through their mechanical counterparts.
Reflecting on past projects, the band recalled the intricacies of their music video for “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill,” which also presented its challenges. With a creative vision that initially proved difficult to execute, the band persevered until they achieved the desired result. The pursuit of excellence sometimes led to unexpected outcomes, such as Kulash joking about his “overly fleshy” appearance in one video segment.
Despite the meticulous planning and execution, some mishaps are inevitable in such ambitious projects. Kulash jokingly estimated that around half a dozen mirrors may have been casualties during the filming process. However, these challenges did not hinder the band’s determination to deliver a visually stunning and thematically rich music video for their fans to enjoy.
“And the Adjacent Possible” is now available for streaming, offering fans a chance to immerse themselves in OK Go’s innovative and visually captivating musical creations. With their latest endeavour, the band continues to push boundaries and explore new artistic horizons, cementing their reputation as pioneers in the realm of music video production.