Synopsis

Nils Petter Molvaer performs "Mercury Heart" with guitarist Stian Westerhus and drummer Erland Dahlen in a stark private studio near the Norwegian coast. The performance footage is intercut with striking images of rugged landscapes, open water, and overcast Scandinavian surroundings. Molvaer's trumpet, Westerhus' distorted guitar, and Dahlen's forceful drumming create a brooding, slow-building atmosphere, while the stark locations give the video a remote, almost otherworldly quality. The result is less a conventional narrative than a visual portrait of the trio's tense and atmospheric sound.

Factoids & Trivia

• The live-action video was made for "Mercury Heart," the opening track on Molvaer's 2011 album "Baboon Moon."

• The performance scenes feature the same core trio heard on the recording: Molvaer on trumpet and electronics, Stian Westerhus on guitar, and Erland Dahlen on drums.

• The video was shot partly in a private recording studio and partly outdoors in Norway, linking the musicians' studio work with the stark environment associated with Molvaer's music.

• "Baboon Moon" marked a notably heavier direction for Molvaer, with Westerhus' distorted guitar and Dahlen's rock-influenced drumming pushing the trumpet-led sound toward dark, atmospheric jazz-rock.

• A separate official animated version of "Mercury Heart" also exists. It uses black-and-white, hand-drawn animation to depict the evolution from a simple cell to Homo sapiens in a frantic progression.

• The animated version was drawn frame by frame and was not submitted to film festivals.