Wild Motion (Set It Free)

Illustrator Sebastian Borckenhagen creates an impressionistic animated video perfectly suited to Australian band Miami Horror's synth-pop sound.

Local illustrator Sebastian Borckenhagen brings an African flair to this video for “Wild Motion (Set It Free)” by Australian band Miami Horror. His trademark minimalistic hand-drawn visuals, rendered here in pastel on black paper, echo the band’s modern but retro sound.

The dreamy lyrics and dance-pop melodies of this song are infectious, evoking a light summery mood ideal for dancing. The spasmodic motion of the animated figures and swirling geometric shapes are hypnotic. 

South African fans of John Wizards will already be familiar with Borckenhagen’s work from his videos for the breakthrough Cape Town band. He provided visuals for its songs “Lusaka by Night” and “Muizenberg” that accentuate the Afro-tropical influences and sounds of the band to a T, propelling his work into the public eye.

Borkenhagen, who got his first break as an Emerging Creative at Design Indaba Expo in 2012, is a talent to watch. He makes his own comic books, founded the Cape Town Zine Project 
 and writes short fiction. In 2012, his “A Story About a Chimpanzee in Space” for local pulp-fiction zine Jungle Jim was one of six stories brought to life in spectacular window designs  at La Rinescente department store in central Milan during Milan Design Week 2013. We’re excited to see his work reaching more international audiences.