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FUTURE SHORTS PRESENTS 'RUNAWAY ROBOT' FROM UNKLE

Producer, Label owner, Music Maker and DJ James Lavelle (UNKLE) recently take the role of the Curator for an unprecedented pop-up exhibition at HAUNCH OF VENISON gallery in Mayfair, London.

Motivated by the desire to marry music and visual art, DAYDREAMING…WITH JAMES LAVELLE was a unique and visceral exhibition experience, bringing together some of the most high profile and acclaimed creative names working in music, art, film, fashion and design. ‘The Answer’ EP served as the catalyst for the project; tracks from the EP were assigned to a major contemporary creative who in turn responded to the track using his or her own visual language to create a unique experience for the viewer. This exhibition led to a collaboration with animatronics designer and director John Nolan, of Streetlight Films, who created an incredible UNKLE robot based on Futura’s Pointmen from the Psyence Ficton and Never Never Land albums.  

On how the collaboration came about Nolan says:

“I wanted to get in touch with UNKLE after seeing them at Fabric where they projected animated drawings of Futura’s robot/aliens at a launch for Never, Never Land. I knew that I could recreate something similar to the animations but with animatronics and practical effects and it would be good to build something based on a great design.

James Lavelle asked if I wanted to shoot something for the Daydreaming exhibition at the Haunch of Venison and whilst there was no budget involved at all, it was an opportunity to work on something together where I would produce a film and UNKLE would create a track. It was a great way to work really because everyone who got involved did because they loved the track and believed in the idea, everyone was enthusiastic and excited to be part of it.”

The robot itself formed part of the exhibition along with an accompanying video sound-tracked to the instrumental re-working of ‘The Runaway’ (Lupe’s Revenge). The original track appears on UNKLE’s most recent album ‘Where Did The Night Fall’ with its vocal driven hip-hop counterpart featuring on The Answer EP.

Its splintered synths and a shuddering bass-line create an aggression and energy which Nolan harnessed within the robot’s marching stomp towards the camera.

‘The Answer’ EP is available now at www.unkle.com/shop as a limited edition 12” vinyl and CD. It includes two brand new songs, plus a collaboration with hip-hop prodigy Lupe Fiasco and a remix by original UNKLE member Tim Goldsworthy.