Synopsis

A group of young friends gathers in a Berlin suburb for an intimate nighttime ritual. Their games gradually take on a more solemn purpose as they prepare one girl to leave them, turning a private sleepover atmosphere into an uneasy farewell. Paint, physical closeness and strange acts of bonding blur the line between childhood play and an initiation ceremony. The slow-motion imagery gives the gathering a dreamlike, suspended quality, while the girl's departure leaves the ritual feeling both affectionate and ominous.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed over the course of one night in the suburbs of Berlin.

• The cast was assembled locally and included young actors, friends and street-cast participants who were genuine fans of James Blake's music.

• The video's ritual centers on preparing a girl for a journey away from the group. The production described it as an intimate portrait of friends facing separation rather than a straightforward narrative.

• The single version of "Lindisfarne" combines material from the two-part suite "Lindisfarne I" and "Lindisfarne II" from Blake's 2011 debut album.

• "Lindisfarne" was released as a single with "Unluck" as its B-side in June 2011.

• The production was the first project officially made through A+, Academy Films' division for music videos, content and new media projects.

• The video followed the same creative collaboration as Blake's earlier "The Limit To Your Love" video.

• Contemporary coverage noted the deliberately uncomfortable contrast between innocent adolescent games and more unsettling acts, including paint-smearing and ritualistic behavior.