CSS - Alala

OCT 30 2006 · 12:00

CSS - Alala (2006) Director: Cat Solen Era: Mid-2000s Electroclash/New Rave Boom (2006) - Peak era of Brazilian indie-electroclash crossover into the global anglophone indie market via Sub Pop Records, concurrent with the MySpace-era blog-music explosion and new rave's emergence. High curatorial value as a confirmed, director-verified artifact of the 2006 electroclash/new rave moment and a key document of Brazilian indie rock's anglophone breakthrough. The video's formally distinctive reverse-chronology structure, practical effects craft, and culturally self-aware concept make it a strong candidate for preservation as both a genre touchstone and a study in cost-effective mid-2000s music video production that achieved significant cultural reach. Context: Released in October 2006, 'Alala' arrived at the apex of the mid-2000s blog-music and MySpace indie boom, when Brazilian band CSS had just signed internationally with Sub Pop Records. The video's reverse-party-fight concept engaged directly with the MTV reality-TV party excess aesthetic of the era, the director explicitly cited MTV's 'My Super Sweet Sixteen' as a cultural reference point, while subverting it through violence, gore, and dark humor. CSS's São Paulo origins and multilingual identity made them emblematic of the globalizing indie underground, and 'Alala' was a key vehicle for that crossover. The single was preloaded on Microsoft's Zune player at launch and featured in Forza Motorsport 2 and FIFA 08, illustrating how mid-2000s indie acts penetrated mainstream media through brand and gaming partnerships. Director notes: Version 1 of the 'Alala' video premiered October 9, 2006 (IMVDb confirmed). Produced by Clint Cowen; edited by Edward Cardena. The director's stated concept originated with the reverse time-lapse injury-healing device, inspired by hearing the song as simultaneously tough and cute. The video depicts a formal party fight shown in reverse chronology, with band members progressing from bloodied and disheveled states back to clean, well-dressed partygoers. Practical makeup prosthetics were used for the wound effects. A separate Version 2 exists, directed by Daniel Zanardi, filmed at a ranch in Bragança Paulista, Brazil, featuring the band performing with a dancing cardboard box. The YouTube official upload [2cnOvMFnRvs] corresponds to the Cat Solen Version 1 based on the party-fight reverse-chronology description matching the filename 'OFFICIAL VIDEO' designation and IMVDb's Version 1 classification as the primary international release.