Experiencing Interruptions?
Password

Tulipomania: Shines On

A light from long ago shines on – a paean to ambiguity and endurance in this animation for music that inspired acclaimed author Jeff VanderMeer while creating Absolution, the highly anticipated addition to the best-selling Southern Reach series.

The song 'Shines On' has been re-released in a new Tulipomania album inspired by an invitation to work with author Jeff VanderMeer as part of the publication of Absolution, the fourth book in the best selling Southern Reach series. VanderMeer was inspired by Tulipomania's recent release Dreaming of Sleep – Tulipomania in turn was inspired by VanderMeer's book Absolution for the new album of re-mixes and new tracks, also titled Absolution.

VanderMeer generously contributed extensive liner notes for the album, elaborating on how Tulipomania’s music informed his creative process, including this introduction, “It felt like a revelation – hypnotic, pulsing music that got deep hooks into my brain, so I couldn’t stop listening to the songs,” continuing, “Like a lighthouse’s roving light, the songs felt like a beacon, and the recursive nature of the composition, the sense of a beating heart, a thick muscle at the core of them, combined with the surreal lyrics got deep into the novel’s DNA.”

For the animated music video, Tulipomania band members/directors/animators Tom Murray and Cheryl Gelover created, then modified and manipulated original footage to produce an animated exploration of light and color. The final animation is composed of thousands of individual collages, augmented by bold swipes of pastel on distressed and reconfigured surfaces of black paper.

  • Cheryl Gelover
    Director
    Co-Director, Animator, Musician
  • Tom Murray
    Director
    Co-Director, Animator, Musician
  • Tulipomania
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Music Video, Short
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 10 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 30, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • 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:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cinequest
    San Jose
    United States
    March 22, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Tallgrass
    Wichita
    United States
    November 3, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Cannes New Wave

    November 28, 2024
    Semi-Finalist
Distribution Information
  • Tulipomania/Cheryl Gelover
    Distributor
    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) and StopTrik (Croatia, Poland).

A complete list of festival screenings is available on request.

The pair are also proud to have created two music videos for Cabaret Voltaire co-founder and frontman Stephen Mallinder's solo release titled tick, tick, tick – out on Dais records.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Our new album Absolution was released to coincide with the publication of the fourth book in Jeff VanderMeer's acclaimed Southern Reach series, by invitation from VanderMeer to feature our music after it inspired him while writing his new addition to the series, also titled Absolution.

The songs " You Had to Be There", " Shines On" and "Then and Only Then" as well as our animated music videos for these tracks are featured with the album release. Additional animated music videos are currently in production.

We are thrilled that Jeff VanderMeer has written album liner notes explaining how our music influenced and inspired his new novel. Four new songs inspired by the novel Absolution as well as remixed tracks are featured as part of the new novel's publication.

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374616595/absolution