Welcome to TRCKMG!
Trackmag is a blog dedicated to the creative analysis of and application of theory to music videos and lyrics. You will find essays that focus on one song and music video, or series about a topic, a perspective or one artist/band/film-maker. We also put together playlists related to our texts on Spotify, and feed you little tracksnacks - recommendations for songs and videos we find noticeable and nourishing. Trackmag is written, edited and curated by Taylor Joe Berger and Stephanie Zundel.
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Feel free to submit suggestions for music videos, songs or themes via our Instagram or send us an e-mail through our contact form.
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Disclaimer: We do not own the music or visuals of the songs and music videos which we discuss here. All rights belong to the original artists, who we respect and want to honour with our work. Sources to the videos and owners of sound, photos and visual art will always be declared. The promotional collages, visuals and teaser clips which we craft out of original material are part of our creative endavour and sources to the original material are provided. Our texts and the ideas shared are ours, please do not share without permission.
Taylor Joe Berger
I started TRCKMG as a project during my last term of my bachelors degree in film. It was meant to be a way for me to directly apply what we learnt in film theory and film history, and further explore it through my other passions, which include music, music videos and visual arts. I have a background in wood carving and sculpture and now mainly work as an editor for mostly music videos and short films. This page is not meant to discuss only the most current and new releases, but in its format allows us to freely investigate where our interests take us and we would be thrilled if you come along on our journey.
I never get tired of eating:
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PASTA!!! FEED ME PASTA!!!
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Something embarrassing that happened to me:
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Once very drunk on the dancefloor, surrounded by a lot of artsy friends I got really excited when a Sam Cooke song began to play… So excited infact that I shouted out his name! Well… I thought I had. I got the wrong Sam, I shouted Sam Smith instead and the way everyone immediately turned around and stared at me with the most judgy looks, I will never forget.
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A music video I revisit often, because:
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A music video I still adore is Beyoncé’s Deja Vu! It stands for my obsession with her which solidified when that single first came out. The styling is so damn chic, and the locations are so gritty yet glamorous and complements the live congas and horns on the track beautifully. It has aged very well and still is just a joy to watch. Fun fact, when the video first dropped in 2006 the beyhive got so upset they started signing a petition to reshoot the video! They deemed it too sexy as Beyoncé pulled on Jay-Z’s belt in one of the shots. By today's standards Deja Vu is perfectly christian lol.
Stephanie Zundel
I am so happy that my dear friend Joe asked me to join this great project and to carry it into the future together. As an MA student of Philosophy and Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies I am excited to apply the theory I picked up along the way and my interest in pop culture, narrative, discourse, detail to the essays that we craft here. The medium and art of the music video is well worth of attention and appreciation, the intersection of music, text/lyrics and imagery/visual vocabulary offers infinite points of departure for closer looks, listening and thoughts. So much to discover!
I never get tired of drinking: ​
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Tony Mate. And cold orange juice.
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Something embarrassing that happened to me:
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As I like to travel comfortably, I undid my cozy pants on a long bus journey to Barcelona. Of course I had forgotten all about that, sleepy as I was, when we stopped for a bathroom and snacks break at a gas station. Making my way through the aisle my pants dropped to the floor, liberating my booty. However, somewhere along the highway in the middle of the night my undies went unacknowledged, and coziness was reinstalled quickly when we continued our journey.​
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A music video I revisit often, because:
Bon Iver - 22 (OVER S∞∞N). This is a lyrics video, English/Spanish - the song is deeply meaningful to me. Its main lyric <it might be over soon> almost a mantra, both encouraging and calming, comes to mind in tough and beautiful life spaces. The song and the simplicity of the video, in which Justin Vernon's face is seen, his beard on fire, encapsulate the heaviness and beauty of the fleeting.
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Kathleen Moser
studied film in luzern, works mostly in film sound.
interested in writing, art, music, languages and psychology (among others)
often found watching series or cooking during time off
A music video I revisit often, because:
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T.O.P. - Doom Dada - This video was released during the time I decided to go to art school. At that time I was quite a fan of dadaism, so it spoke to me. It encompasses many references to art and film history and every time I watch it I find something new that I have not known or seen before, so I like to rewatch it from time to time.
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