Altered Zones

In a continuation of their phenomenal Vision Version video series, Dublab captured this ethereal clip from the currently dormant L.A. Ladies Choir. The choir, which has featured such Los Angeles staples as Anna Oxygen and Diva Dompe, encouraged members, simply, to "sing joyfully." All the joy that is here is bittersweet. The rich echo of the collective voices melds together in a truly ominous moment. The clip, shot on a ship wreck installation at Echo Park arts space Machine Project, evokes the delirious vision of a sailor as he succumbs to death by drowning. The singers, whose faces are often shot in extreme close-up, give detached performances worthy of Bressonian models. Although the mantra they sing revolves around spiritual healing, the sinking ship at the clip's end suggests imminent demise. --Samantha Cornwell, Visitation Rites