[WATCH] Maltese music videos brighten up the summer

It could be that recording technologies are becoming a bit cheaper, or that the internet is pressuring musicians to cultivate a more visual approach.

Whatever the reason, music videos from local bands have suddenly blossomed over the past few months, with Maltese musicians of various genres taking to YouTube with gusto.

Below are some of the few we've discovered. Enjoy.

Ira Losco - What I'd Give

Malta's former Eurovision near-winner Ira Losco shows off a funny-bone in the video promoting the first single off her upcoming album - breathlessly jumping from one role to another in the comical little story of nightclub singing, domestic drudgery and well-earned revenge. Losco relished the opportunity to indulge in some humour for this Take2Entertainment production.

"I'm not sure if it was my idea to be fat for one of the scenes, but I think so," she says. "I was quite excited about being funny in the video, because some people think I'm not funny, or that I'm really all prim and proper - which I'm really not, I have no idea why they get that impression!"

Sempliciment Tat-Triq - Iswed Tnejn Zokkor

Watch out for these guys - they'll be huge before you can say 'spritu pront'. A refreshing burst of no-frills hip-hop accompanied by equally edgy and genuine imagery that evokes the island's daily grind. Catch the band during LISSEN - a first-of-its-kind Maltese-language music festival at the Kordin Industrial Zone on September 21 and 22.

The Shh - So Over

This one's hot off the racks, landing on YouTube last Friday. Director Daniel Cassar demonstrates that you can still put together a stylish video with minimal resources, shooting the musical duo - Alison Galea and Ian Schranz of Beangrowers fame - in black-and-white against a background of what look to be shots from vintage B-movies. An alternative rock side-project for the two 'Beanies', The Shh's debut four-track EP has been doing the rounds globally, even scoring a slot on MTV Japan.

YEWS - In Time

This one-woman singing-songwriting powerhouse has been rapidly accumulating fans ever since she mesmerised the 1,000-strong audience at the launch of Brikkuni's second album last year, and it's not hard to see why. Yasmin Kuymizakis - aka YEWS - delivers soundscapes that are both tender and haunting, evoking the likes of Fever Ray and, in moments, the similarly naïve-yet-dark Bjork.

The video for In Time - also a new arrival - matches her sound perfectly; playing off the innocence of childhood while not shying away from its looming, sinister edge. Kudos goes to director Frank Briffa and cinematographers Mark Dingli and Matthew Camilleri for the video's suggestive, sumptuous look.

Duo Blank - Stars on Mars

There's a lot going on here: an alien crash landing next door to Hagar Qim, Men in Black-style agents and an enigmatic, leather-clad protagonist. Edwin Balzan and Frank Cachia - aka Duo Blank - have been in the scene since 1998, and here they offer up something that's about as ambitious as Malta's previous attempts at Hollywood blockbusters (see: Maltageddon) but that's twice as well executed, and twice as fun too.

Clinton Paul - Robot

No roundup of local music video releases would be complete without a mention of Clinton Paul. It's not clear whether his legion of Maltese 'fans' are laughing with him or at him, but the fact remains that this boy from Birkirkara is determined to do what he does best... which is, apparently, writing vaguely catchy Euro-pop-tinged self-empowerment anthems while looking like a roll-call of Lady Gaga's rejected wardrobe ideas.

Love him or loathe him, Clinton is here to stay - especially now that he seems to have enough funds at his disposal to toy around with ornate CGI effects as he does here.

Note: this roundup is neither comprehensive nor final. If you know of any other videos worth a mention, tell us about them!