Synopsis

Moderat's "Les Grandes Marches" presents an abstract study of force, matter, and destruction. In a stark, almost alien environment, dense concrete forms are subjected to immense pressure until they fracture, burst apart, and collapse in slow motion. The video turns each impact into a rhythmic visual event, emphasizing cracks, dust, flying fragments, and the shifting textures of the material. With no conventional characters or storyline, its stark imagery mirrors the track's hypnotic electronic pulse and transforms a scientific experiment into a dramatic audiovisual spectacle.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed at the BAM Institute for Materials Research, a German center specializing in testing and researching materials.

• Its central images show ultracompact concrete being destroyed under extreme pressure, creating the impression of a miniature industrial universe.

• The production involved specially developed concrete mixtures, allowing the filmmakers to control how the material fractured and exploded.

• The footage was captured with a Phantom high-speed camera, making the violent impacts and disintegrating fragments visible in precise slow motion.

• "Les Grandes Marches" was included on the bonus DVD accompanying the deluxe edition of Moderat's self-titled 2009 album.

• The visual was presented by Pfadfinderei, the Berlin design collective closely associated with Moderat's graphic and stage identity.