The 20 best videos of 2012 so far, part II

Welcome to the second installment of 2012’s best music videos list, covering the period mid May-late August. It’s the season that saw clips get real. Straight to camera rapping, handhelds at home or on the bus. Five of the top six take place in real time, barely edited, the sixth an all-too-recognisable story of getting crushed on a stranger at a busstop shot on VHS. The sumptuous cinematography of A$AP Rocky’s Goldie or SpaceGhostPurrp’s Tha Black God are stylised, yet dreamily represent their day-to-day lives in a way by turns brutal and hilarious. Even The xx’s abstract visuals were personal, expressionist and restrained, a documentary of the musician’s interior rather than a fictional narrative. In this context, there was no better visual statement than Frank Ocean’s Summer Remains. Shot on a camera phone, the man who has this year emerged as one fo the best songwriters of our generation, simply sang his heart out on his house piano, back to the camera. Real life, just fantasy.

1. Frank Ocean – Summer Remains Self shot
   
2. Slime – Crown Directed by ISYS
   
3. Kindness – House Directed by Daniel Brereton & Adam Bainbridge
   
4. Jessie Ware – Wildest Moments Directed by Kate Moross
   
5. Heatsick – Déviation Directed by Richard Forbes-Hamilton
   
6. Delilah – Inside My Love Directed by Jake Nava
   
7. The xx – Angels Photography by Davy Evans
   
8. Real Life – Deeper Directed by Rollo Jackson
   
9. DJ Rashad & DJ Spinn – We Trippy Mane Directed by Tim & Barry
   
10. LA Vampires – Freedom 2K Directed by Benjamin Shearn
    
11. Nite Jewel – Clive Directed by José Wolff
    
12. Only Real – Cinnamon Toast Filmed/edited by freddieboyfilms
    
13. Julia Holter – Goddess Eyes I Directed by José Wolff
    
14. Unicorn Kid – Need U Directed by Watergun (Rafael Pavon)
    
15. A$AP Rocky – Goldie Directed by A$AP Rocky
    
16. SpaceGhostPurrp – Tha Black God Directed by Space Ghost Purrp
    
17. Actress – IWAAD Directed by Nic Hamilton
    

    Actress – IWAAD from nic on Vimeo.

18. Trackman Lafonte & Bonquiqui – Pacific House Directed by Malcolm Elijah and Tommyboy
    
19. Antony and the Johnsons – Cut The World Directed by Nabil
    
20. Mykki Blanco – Wavvy Directed by Francesco Carrozzini