New Video: Xiu Xiu “A Knife in the Sun”

Xiu Xiu have a new video for “A Knife in the Sun“, off the band’s spectacular 2014 LP Angel Guts: Red Classroom, out now via Polyvinyl/Bella Union Records. Directed by Diego Barrera, the video alternates between electric, neon colored realms, and stark, natural images of a rugged landscape shot in black and white; and it follows it’s curious, Noh masked protagonist on an ambiguous dream-like journey thru these strange and haunting worlds. Barrera’s artist statement regarding these videos is a must-read, as it provides intriguing insights into his complex and mythologically inspired vision, so we’ve included it after the video embed. Xiu Xiu will begin a European and US tour starting in May, and they will kick things off in Los Angeles on April 23rd with a show at The Church on York. You can check out the rest of the dates below…

Diego Barrera “A Knife in the Sun” Artist Statement:
“My videos have multiple interpretations, this is just one of these:

I present two journeys, from darkness to the light of sea (from masculinity to eternal feminity), and the awns of a patriarcal society (The Religion, The Clinic and The Armed Forces), in their path to (masculinization) self-destruction.

The Alchemical Androgyne (The Hermafrodite / Rebis), ever present character in my videos, embodies my search in the androgenization rites, in this case a rite performed by indigenous tribes where a man makes a cut in his crotch as a symbol to inhabit in a woman body, to live in the middle of two imposed sexes. A symbolic castration that I present as an invitation to “man” to reflect about his feminity.

The other character is basically my way of using the right of rebellion through art, to criticize religion which seek to control the souls, current clinic aims to control the body (based not on health but disease) and The Armed Forces as the top of a pyramid that ends up collapsed.

Videos featuring a struggle, feminism understood as a struggle, whatever the fight against laws (which have been created by men) is a feminist struggle.”

Xiu Xiu Live April-July 2014:
Apr 23 The Church on York w/ Tearist Los Angeles, CA
May 01 Donau Festival (Xiu Xiu + Dark Material) Krems, Austria
May 02 Donau Festival (Dark Material) Krems, Austria
May 03 Donau Festival (Dark Material) Krems, Austria
May 04 Donau Festival (Dark Material) Krems, Austria
May 05 Grabenhalle w/ The Residents St. Gallen, Switzerland
May 06 Manufaktur Schorndorf, Germany
May 08 Teatro Fondamenta Nuove Venice, Italy
May 09 PN Box Studios Pordenone, Italy
May 10 El Barrio Torino, Italy
May 11 A Palazzo Gallery Brescia, Italy
May 12 Grrnd Zero Lyon, France
May 13 Petit Bain Paris, France
May 14 LA CARENE Brest, France
May 15 La Malterie Lille, France
May 16 Ekko Utrecht, Netherlands
May 17 DOKarena Gent, Belgium
May 18 Worm Rotterdam, The Netherlands
May 20 Brudenell Games Room Leeds, United Kingdom
May 22 Birthdays London, United Kingdom
May 23 Lepel Festival Groningen, Netherlands
May 24 Jazzhouse w/ Circuit des yeux Copenhagen, Denmark
May 25 Volksbühne w/ Owen Pallett Berlin, Germany
May 27 Kampnagel Hamburg, Germany
May 30 Pipl w/ Psychic TV Moscow, Russian Federation
Jun 01 Zal Ojidaniya w/ Psychic TV Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
Jun 17 LE CERCLE w/ Swans Quebec, Canada
Jun 18 Theatre National w/ Swans Montreal, Canada
Jun 21 St Andrews Hall w/ Swans Detroit, MI
Jun 22 Lincoln Hall w/ Swans Chicago, IL
Jun 24 The Ready Room w/ Swans St Louis, MO
Jun 26 Trees w/ Swans Dallas, TX
Jun 27 Mohawk Austin w/ Swans Austin, TX
Jun 28 Fitzgerald’s Upstairs w/ Swans Houston, TX
Jun 30 Exit / In w/ Swans Nashville, TN
Jul 01 Neighborhood Theatre w/ Swans Charlotte, NC
Jul 02 The New Vintage w/ Swans Louisville, KY
Jul 05 Tralf Music Hall w/ Swans Buffalo, NY
Jul 06 Toad’s Place w/ Swans New Haven, CT