Anonymous Zone is a film from What Youth directed by Kai Neville and shot on location in quiet streets of Japan with Ishod Wair, Raven Tershy, Peter Ramondetta and Kevin Terpening. The 11-minute film, which came out earlier this year in February, traces the crew's trip throughout Japan with with guides Rip Zinger and Arto Saari leading the way.
Like most of Neville's films, Anonymous Zone is different than most skate films. Clean production, a little heavy on the lifestyle footage, and impeccable sound selections. Sure, Anonymous Zone only carries three-songs throughout its entirety, but they are three really killer songs. There's Sonic Youth's "I Dreamed I Dream" from the New York City-band's debut album, which was quite a statement coming from a new band finding their way through the experimenting of noise rock and no wave.
The video splits into some candid shot of Ishod eating sushi or some other Japanese delicacy, before going into Drool's "End Girl". It's a synthy, repetitive pop song from interdisciplinary artist Cara Stricker and musician John Kirby. Drool, although a side project to the two artists, successfully melds all artistic fields: summer anthem sonics on a full-length album and limited-edition cassette tape which were accompanied by a 40-minute film.
The last song of the film is Suicide's "Sweetheart". The track has more traces of classic pop because it comes from Alan Vega Martin Rev, which was produced by the Cars’ Ric Ocasek, who was already a devoted Suicide fan before producing the album. “Sweetheart"'s lilting tropical-lounge swing is so glittery.
It also doesn't hurt that the skateboarding included in the film is seriously top-notch. Ishod Wair won Thrasher Magzine's Skater of the year in 2013, and after watching his skating in the film it's pretty apparent why he won.
Listen to the this week's Soundtrack Syllabus below.