There’s been a fair few ‘major’ videos out there this week – tons from Children In Need, Paramore, Major Lazer etc – but not so much on the fringes – however, new visuals from Simian Mobile Disco and tUnE-yArDs as well as a bit of art from some of Japanther (pictured) goes some way to making up for the quiet stretch.

Japanther – 2 Rivers, Some Drums & Drawings

Okay, sorry, this isn’t actually a song, but an “attempt at art” by Beau Velasco and Ian Vanek of Deathset and Japanther. They explain – “After Beau’s death in 2009 the piece was finalized by Vanek with the help of Chad Von Nau and released to the public as a way of remembering a dear friend”. It’s strangely hypnotic, and a pretty cool tribute. Fairly confident that when I check out no-one will do anything half as cool for me. Which is probably fair.

tUnE-yArDs – Real Live Flesh

Taken from the expanded version of the recently released debut (the equally awkward to type BiRd-BrAiNs), this is a live version done for a 4AD Session. Merrill Garbus takes live vocal loops, mucks about with them quite a lot, and then adds in sparse bass and drums and her own roughnecked throaty voice. It’s a peculiar mix of almost R&B rhythms with folky overtones, all awash in slightly unhinged, almost childlike melodies. It’s not of the usual cloth, and I’m enjoying it a fair bit at the moment. Not wallpaper, that’s for damn sure.

Simian Mobile Disco (feat Beth Ditto) – Cruel Intentions

I’m as much a fan of a nice DX7 as the next geek, but this from Simian Mobile Disco just doesn’t grab me in the way it should. Beth Ditto’s doing the guest warbling here, but neither the music nor the vocal have enough vim and chutzpah in them for me. By rights, this should have been fucking eye-openingly good. Just a bit meh, though, really – still, I’ve always had a soft spot for SMD, so we’ll forgive them.