Ready, Steady, Die! are a British American duo who have been making dark-pop waves over the course of their last two albums. Morgan Visconti and Sam K seem to have taken even heavier climbs though, with the release of their beautifully disturbing new video for their single ‘Darkstar’.
An AI exploration sees new visual boundaries being met, as this video is truly encapsulating and goes into an 1800s fictional story perfectly reflecting back on the hauntingly brilliant track from this highly dynamic pairing. We sat down with Ready, Steady, Die! to learn more about the video’s inspiration, how it first came about and their plans for next year.
HI RSD, Please tell us how you got into this innovative AI technology, what brought this idea to a head?
Morgan: I’m almost as fully ensconced in creating visuals as I am with the music. I think I have an impatient desire to scrap a technique once I’ve used it so I’m constantly searching for new ways to make stuff. I used to draw a lot and I wanted Darkstar to feel like a moving storyboard, hand painted. I discovered Midjourney right as I was starting on the video and it was able to give me something that far surpassed my original concept. About half way through I thought it was feeling too consistent and slow so again – just happened to start seeing Stable Diffusion pop up on social media and I realized that was a great tool for making the back half of the video very disruptive and energized. Technologies like this can take you into frustrating weeks of producing absolutely nothing and just learning how to tweak it. Working with AI, like any collaboration – and I really believe it is that – takes patience, love and mutual understanding.
The idea for the video reflects on the song itself so brilliantly, is there a plan to do this with future releases?
Morgan: Yes, although I said I usually move on, I’ve already started rendering some shots for our next video using Stable Diffusion Deforum. It’s a cover song and it mentions dancing (can’t give it away yet). It’ll be the mood antithesis to Darkstar, colorful, upbeat and hedonistic.
Are you happy with the response you’ve gotten from it?
Morgan: Very much so. The hard pill to swallow is that we’ve made videos that took a lot more work and time and somehow Darkstar is getting a more visceral response from people. I think it’s how the lyrics and images lock together and maybe there’s something about the jerky AI generated images that jump off the screen.
And lastly, what are Ready, Steady, Die! got planned for 2023?
We’re working on a third album. I’d like to work with other film makers maybe get out of the AI/CGI world and do something cinematic. I’d love to do a concept album with accompanying film, that’s my dream.
