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To whom it may concern.
iamamiwhoami is a six-part Sweden-based electronica group fronted by Jonna Lee. The group is known both for its off-kilter take on electronica and its usage of new media, such as video sites, streaming, iTunes, even the phone. The first videos were released December 4, 2009 and were released on a more or less monthly basis, barring the odd hiatus here or there. Generally the project uses the imagery of the hunting of a mandragora or mandrake, and an exploration of the siren song aspect of the mythology.
The first six videos were short clips with coded numbered titles about the emergence of the mandragora (here symbolized by Jonna) from the earth. The second arc of seven videos concerned the mandragora in captivity amongst humans. The one-letter titled tracks spelled out "bounty."
The project took a different turn when the artists invited fans to choose a representative to participate with them. A German known only as "ShootUpTheStation" was instructed to tape his journey, leading up to a concert that was streamed online in November 2010. The hour-long concert contained new arrangements of the "bounty" singles, showing the seduction and cremation of ShootUpTheStation. All the videos concerning the concert were removed from iamamiwhoami's channel shortly thereafter, but mirrors can be found here. The concert can be watched here. A month later, the concert tracks were released on iTunes.
Mid-2011, ";john" and "clump" saw release, as the first half of an arc which culminated in their first public concert.
Their debut album kin is due June 11th. All of its tracks have been seeing release as singles on a bi-weekly basis since the album was announced on the first of February.
Contains examples of:
- All Lowercase Letters
- Anonymous Band
- Arc Words: "To whom it may concern." appears on the cover of all their studio singles, and has shown up in their videos as well.
- Ash Face: Played for Drama, in the concert version of "y."
- Awesome Moment of Crowning: "t"
- Concept Video
- Darkskinned Blonde: when Jonna has Ash Face or a lot of dark makeup (most of the first cycle; "n" and "y").
- Demonic Dummy: the puppet of the Mandragora in "u-1"
- Dream Pop / Shoegazing
- Drone of Dread
- Dying Dream: "20101104" depicts a double suicide, who are thought to be the "real" bodies of the mandragora and the "bearded" man.
- Enthralling Siren: par for the course with mandrake imagery, but especially in "b", "u-1", and "u-2".
- Epic Tracking Shot: the concert version of "u-2"
- Female Feline, Male Mutt: the black cat gets associated with the mandragora; the black dog(s) with the human men
- Floorboard Failure: Several consecutive times in "drops."
- Getting Crap Past the Radar: Much of the video for "clump" is Jonna's head bouncing to the beat as she lies on her bed.
- Idea Bulb: The imagery is invoked on "y"
- Indecipherable Lyrics: "+46 702 888 037" and the studio version of "9.20.19.13.5.723378."
- Innocent Fanservice Girl: "t"
- Jittercam/Jump Cut: ShootUpTheStation's handheld videos of his journey
- Long Take: there's some stealthy editing, but most of the individual numbers in the concert are long takes, and the overall feel is for it to appear seamless.
- Looped Lyrics: "u-2" which consists of "You can't be mine."
- Madness Mantra: "Come on, just kill this"
- Minimalism: The audio that played on the phone number given after they announced the Way Out West live show, AKA "+46 702 888 037."
- Murder by Cremation: what the Mandragora does to ShootUpTheStation in the concert.
- Nature Spirit
- New Sound Album: This is quite different from anything else associated with Jonna Lee.
- Non-Appearing Title: Most of them.
- Rapunzel Hair: varies each video, but is usually quite long; she wears a dress made out of hair extensions in the concert
- Reclusive Artists
- Scenery Porn
- Self-Backing Vocalist: Jonna.
- Singing Simlish: "13.1.14.4.18.1.7.15.18.1.1110"
- Stealth Insult: ";john" and "clump," the band's two most chartworthy songs, have lyrics and videos that deal quite bluntly in themes of prostitution.
- Subdued Section: in "y"
- Surreal Music Video
- They Have the Scent: the black dogs in "15.6.6.9.3.9.14.1.18.21.13.56155"
- Uncommon Time: "u-2" is in 7/4 time
- White Void Room: "kill"
- Weird Swedish Thing: One of the most prominent.