When I chose the music to play on Alt TV (may it rest in peace) I used to trawl the internet looking for new bands, many of whom were unsigned, with great videos so I could stick them into our daily rotation. Without waiting for local labels to give me their selections I wanted to play the latest stuff as soon as it came out overseas. There are millions of bands out there with millions of videos so why does the viewer have to put up with only those who have secured New Zealand distribution? I felt doing this provided Alt TV with a point of difference it needed to seperate itself from the other stations. Sure, not everyone is going to like what we played but I always thought that no matter how crazy the video or how weird the song was, someone, somewhere out there would love it. Now there is no outlet for my trawling, I offer these crazy gems to you.

6. Fever Ray - When I Grow Up (Dir: Martin De Thurrah)

Incredible video showing how you can take one simple idea and (beautifully) squeeze the life out of it. Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson, one half of Swedish band The Knife, has recently released her debut solo album under the name Fever Ray. You can download this album from iTunes.

5.The Joy Formidable - Austere (Dain Bedford)

Andrew from Cheese on Toast got me onto these guys about a month ago. Not such a good video and for some reason reminds me of an early Headless Chickens video. Officially this is the 2nd version as the 1st version was apparently banned from youtube. You can view the original here. I don't think they have New Zealand distribution yet but you can download their single Austere here. (right click 'save as')

4. Kasabian - Vlad the Impaler (Dir: Richard Ayoade)

Noel Fielding, the genius from The Mighty Boosh, I.T Crowd and Nathan Barley, stars in the literal send up of Kasabians 'Vlad the Impaler' in this cheesy 70s foreign horror video. Hilarious.

3. Chairlift - Evident Utensil (Ray Tintori)

You've probably seen Kanye Wests new video 'Welcome to Heartbreak' getting regular airplay on New Zealand music stations recently. He successfully uses a (relatively) new technique called 'datamoshing' that, put simply, uses pixels from the previous frame to start the next frame. I thought the video was great, but like most Kanye videos, someone else has done it first...

Incidentally both videos came from directors, who didn't know each other was working on the technique at the same time, from under the same Partizan production house.

2. Jack Penate - Tonight's Today (Dir: Alma Har'el)

Jack Penate, I know, but this song is great and that's how you film choreographed dancing. Soulja Boy, take note. This single is from his yet to-be-announced new album being released later this year.

1. Bodies of Water - Under the Pines (Dir: Andy Bruntel)

Fun, hilarious, crazy. It's got everything - and no, I don't condone animal violence, especially on cute little dogs but this is just one of those videos where the director has absolutely nailed the feel of song. Their album A Certain Feeling was released in 2008 and you can check out more of the band here.