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Tulipomania: I've Been Told


Philadelphia-based art-rock duo Tulipomania are back with 'I've Been Told - Absolution', the first offering from their sixth album 'Absolution', inspired by an invitation from acclaimed author Jeff VanderMeer to contribute music as part of the publication of his latest novel 'Absolution', the surprise fourth volume in his award-winning 'Southern Reach' series.

With a pressingly mournful urgency, this single's soundscape resonates with the complex energies enveloping VanderMeer’s novel, the author having invited the duo to create music inspired by 'Absolution' while still a work in progress. Hearing that VanderMeer took inspiration for the 'Absolution' novel from their 'Dreaming of Sleep' album, Tulipomania enthusiastically accepted the challenge.

Jeff VanderMeer fondly describes the animated video for 'I've Been Told - Absolution': "The dreamlike immersion in imagery from the novel creates a hypnotic and perfect effect for both a beautiful dirge and surge of a song and the atmosphere for Absolution. Gorgeous and evocative".

Shot frame by frame, utilizing multiple processes, including thermal printing, to create layered textures, the video features stop-motion animated objects (some frames vibrantly hand-tinted) and glimpses of the duo singing the lyrics. This exploration of various states of disintegration, painstakingly assembling thousands of individual images, evokes Absolution’s themes of dissolution and disorientation.

  • Cheryl Gelover
    Director
  • Tom Murray
    Director
  • Cheryl Gelover
    Animation
  • Tom Murray
    Animation
  • Tulipomania Cheryl Gelover/Tom Murray
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 35 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 15, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Tulipomania/Cheryl Gelover
    Sales Agent
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Cheryl Gelover, Tom Murray

Tulipomania has alternately been categorized as ‘cult synth punks,' ‘glam-leaning,' ‘postpunk,' ‘art-rock' and ‘muscular chamber pop.'

While band members Tom Murray (lead vocals, bass,
percussion) and Cheryl Gelover (synthesizer, background vocals) enjoy deciphering efforts to categorize their sound, they decline to offer a specific label of their own.

The two first met in Art school, and found themselves collaborating on projects for Experimental Film and Animation classes –Tulipomania grew along with those experiences.

Described as “artistic and inventive” and “gorgeous,” music videos created by Tulipomania have been featured in film festivals worldwide, including the London Short Film Festival (England), Leeds International Film Festival (England), Aesthetica Short Film Festival (York, England), Encounters (Bristol,England), Zubroffka (Poland), AniFilm (Liberec, Czech Republic), StopTrik (Croatia, Poland). Chicago Underground Film Festival (USA), and Tallgrass Film Festival (Kansas, USA). A complete list of festival screenings is available on request.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

It's an exciting development for Tulipomania to be involved in this new chapter of the Southern Reach Trilogy with 'Absolution' being the brilliant, beautiful and terrifying final word on one of the most provocative and popular speculative fiction series of our time. An instant sensation, it has been celebrated by the New York Times, Stephen King and many others. With each volume climbing the bestsellers list, accruing awards, it was ultimately adapted in a movie - now a cult classic. The trilogy has now sold more than a million copies, securing its place in the pantheon of 21st century literature.

"I've Been Told - Absolution" resonates with the complex energies enveloping VanderMeer’s novel, the author having invited Tulipomania to create music inspired by 'Absolution' while still a work in progress. Hearing that VanderMeer took inspiration for the 'Absolution' novel from their 'Dreaming of Sleep' album, the duo enthusiastically accepted the challenge.

“It is a thrill to know that our music and lyrics were an inspiration for Jeff VanderMeer while he was working on his latest novel Absolution," says Tom Murray.

“Having the author crowned the ‘weird Thoreau’ entrust us with early versions of his newest novel Absolution was enormously enticing – knowing that he believed we could return with him to the world of Area X for the purpose of a cross-pollination is very exciting," Cheryl Gelover.

The duo are especially pleased that the music video they created employing their unique blend of animation techniques was received so enthusiastically by VanderMeer.