Matt Northam

2 unlimited – tribal dance (1993)

2 Unlimited could probably get an entire list to themselves; their catalogue is undeniable. But if I had to pick just one classic, it’d be Tribal Dance. It’s got the crucial 3 elements that make up a 2 Unlimited video; plenty of shots of serious faced Ray doing his rapping stuff, a fair few looks at Anita pouting, and various ridiculous dance moves. (Though it was a close call between this and the pinball mania of No Limit).

From the moment you’re told of your mission (to get into the rhythm and get into the trance), it’s obvious that this video has a theme and it’s going to stick to it. Sort of. The text implies it’s futuristic, but the costumes are unashamedly stuck in the past. It’s a wonderful juxtaposition. It also makes great use of flashing text throughout, but it’s particularly useful when warning of the impending trance zone for example (because no-one wants to enter a trance zone unexpectedly).

I also like the occasional inset video footage where Ray & Anita are walking through a cave with some burning torches. It has a slight filter on it to make it seem almost otherworldly (I’m assuming this is meant to be within the ‘trance zone’), which just makes it.

Oh, and the icing on the cake: Ray has had the word ‘tribal’ cut into his hair. Specifically for this video I’d hope. That’s dedication.

in a nutshell…

Got any salmon?
Medium. Flailing arms, references to ‘trance zone’, mad intense staring, costumes.

de l’Épée factor
Low. Clear inclusion of a ‘tribe’. And they’re dancing. There’s even a tribal backdrop.

Dworkin-ism
Medium. There’s much more flesh on display from Ray than Anita, but she’s still supposed to be a babe.

You’re not alone..
Medium-high. See every other 2 Unlimited video. And many others that relied on whatever props, costumes and backdrops happened to not be in use that weekend down the hire shop.

Watch the video here or on YouTube.

Next, an arty video hiding away at number 6.