Shinobi Ninja's 'What If Times' will fill you with hope (Music Video Review)
If you time-travelled back to the mid 90s, took a splash of grunge, a helping of hip hop and added a dash of modern punk - you'd get What If Times, the latest single from Brooklyn rockers Shinobi Ninja.
For an entry point into the band's discography, this is a fine place to
start, learning who they are, where they come from and what they're all
about: spreading the love.
The music itself is stellar. The riff running throughout the song is like a heartbeat in itself, pumping out the underlying uplifting themes, inviting the viewer on a journey into the band's struggles, hopes and aspirations. Each transition leads into another slice of the band members' lifestyles, constantly accompanied by the question "what if times don't get no better than this?" A loaded question indeed.
The humble beginnings and pure intentions of the band are matched by the video's imagery. The video is littered with little nuggets of heart-warming scenes: donating money to the homeless, children singing, reflecting on their childhood selves and everything they've overcome. No good music video would be complete without visuals that match and strengthen the song's lyrics, and it's a skill that the singers have down to a tee. It's enough to make even the iciest heart melt, almost lulling their fans into a melodic state of emotional tenderness, urging them: open up to us as we've opened up to you.
The video itself stands out for two reasons. Firstly, the entire thing was shot on a mobile phone. The quality doesn't suffer for it by any means. In fact, it amplifies the group's message of humble beginnings, making them seem more authentic than the detached singers that dominate the charts today. Secondly, every shot has a fish-eye effect surrounding it, making the view distorted and stretched. Not only does this add an alternative grunge-inspired vibe, but it speaks volumes about the song's key message. While reminiscing about your childhood self, more often than not we remember the past through rose-tinted glasses; choosing to take the good and discard the bad. Similarily, when looking to the future, we tend to think about the good things that are yet to come our way; rather than focusing on the advertisy we'll have to face to get there. It's with this simple yet effective method that What If Times reminds us to stay in the present. Live in the moment; take everything that you've learned from life, and use it to create a better future, not just for yourself, but for everyone around you. An uplifiting, hopeful message that resonates with the band's core identity.
It's this theme that makes the opening shot, ever important to catch the attention of a distrait youth, even more relevant: "You're only given one little spark of madness. Never lose it", from the late Robin Williams. It then switches to a shot of a child, innocently welcoming us into the video with his melodic sing-song voice. Clearly, the band want us to resonate with our basic needs, the "little spark" we've been carrying around ever since we were kids, something we can all relate to. Right off the bat, the band hit us in the feels. And that's what great music and their accompanying videos should be about, making the listener feel.
At the core of the song itself is an undeniable lust for music from the band. The passion for their craft underlies every beat, every lyric and every shot used. It's for their pure authenticity at wanting to create music - not a brand, not a name, but pure, good songs - that sets them apart from their competitors in an ever changing and unpredictable music industry. It just shows what you can accomplish with nothing more than a mobile phone and big dreams. We think that times will only get better and better for Shinobi Ninja, and we can't wait to see them.
Check out the music video for What If Times, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
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