After watching each of these music videos, I have come to observe that each one plays with light in different ways in order to create a visual mood that matches the atmosphere of the song. A key component to a good music video is for the visual elements to align with the feeling that is given off through the music.
In the first music video by My Bloody Valentine, the music (especially the vocals) gave off a very ethereal and atmospheric vibe. In the video, the colors white and blue seemed to be the most prominent. The setting seemed very unnatural and empty, as if they were floating in a white space– sort of like how the music makes me feel. The movements of the people playing the music are slowed down and delayed as well to further evoke this feeling.
In the next music video by Lush, the music gave off a very empowering and energetic vibe. To go along with this, there were lots of reds and oranges present. At many points in the video there are flames appearing on different parts of the screen. One thing that helped the song to seem more powerful is the way that many things were being overlapped onto each other. The composition seemed chaotic at some points because there was so much on the screen. There were even lights being projected over the musicians in order to further increase this feeling.
For the last music video by the Cocteau Twins, the music gave off a very nostalgic vibe that sort of brings you back to a simpler time. It sounded very dream-like and calming. One thing that helped me come to the conclusion that it makes me feel as if it’s bringing the viewer back to a simpler time in their life is quite literally the way in which they simplified the light to only show a few shades or tones at certain points. There were times where it would show a bird flying or just a plain environment where the light was so simplified that you couldn’t see many of the details of what you were looking at. It could make the viewer feel as if they are looking back on foggy memories, or things that they only know in a simplified manner.