Frame/Frame Releases Music Video For ‘Hard Boiled Wonderland’

Frame/Frame | Photo courtesy Vital Agency

As far as creative relationships go, New Delhi’s Nikhil Kaul aka Frame/Frame, has a reputation as one of the easiest electronica producers to work with. Collaborating with Delft-based filmmaker and friend Haider Hussain Beig on a music video for “Hard Boiled Wonderland,” the artist made it clear that the project was more than just an extension of his music. Says Kaul, “I like to let people do what they have to and not get in the way too much. Haider came up with the initial storyline and a few Skype calls later, we were pretty happy with what we had.”

The track is also a collaborative effort with Mumbai-based musician Imaad Shah. Says Kaul, “We’ve been friends for almost 10 years. We’ve tried making music together over the years, but finally got around to working on something the last time I came to Bombay.” Starting off with a ukulele and some vocal overlays, “Hard Boiled Wonderland” went through several transformations. Adds Kaul, “We went back and forth on the internet for a while after that and we ended up throwing out a lot of things until we finally had something that we were happy with.”

The video, which is filmed in the Netherlands, follows a day in the life of a protagonist who is stifled by his life and routine. Says Kaul, “Essentially, it’s about a guy who can’t find what he needs in his life. We see him scribbling in a notebook and planning.”  The video mirrors and emphasizes the main character’s changing state of mind. Adds Kaul, “He does make his escape and it is out of the ordinary. We made some things less clear and less obvious, because we wanted it to have a slightly surreal touch.”

Kaul is now putting the finishing touches to his four-track EP Pariah, which is slated to release in February. Says the producer, “I’ve been playing live to people who have an interest in different dance genres, and this EP will be a reflection of a more organic sound that I’ve been working on for the last year.” Frame/Frame will follow the release with a tour across New Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Goa to promote Pariah.

Watch Frame/Frame’s “Hard Boiled Wonderland:”