The 2017 music video for "Six Six Six" by alternative experimental project Sixthrz arrived during a quiet peak in independent digital art. While mainstream pop videos chased slick, high-budget gloss, this release leaned heavily into raw textures, stark dystopian motifs, and disjointed narrative framing. It quickly built a cult following across online forums like Reddit and Vimeo staff picks. Yet, beneath the chaotic editing cuts and moody color grading, the video presents a deliberate architectural layout that reflects late-stage digital fatigue and urban isolation.
Understanding this project requires looking past the shock-value numerical title and examining how director Eric Jackson stitched together over 300 disparate visual segments. Rather than relying on a linear plot, the production functions as a mood piece. It uses recurring motifs of confinement, surveillance aesthetics, and decaying architectural backdrops to mirror the anxieties of an increasingly connected yet alienated society.
The Visual Architecture and Production Origins
The backbone of the "Six Six Six" visual experience lies in its aggressive collage technique. Instead of shooting on a closed studio set with a traditional narrative arc, the creative team sourced fragmented B-roll, archival footage, and lo-fi digital captures over an eight-month period.
- Fragmented Editing: The final cut features rapid-fire transitions that bypass standard beat-matching, creating a deliberate sense of cognitive overload for the viewer.
- Color Grading: Cold cyan shadows clash with harsh neon crimson highlights, signaling a sterile technological environment juxtaposed against organic decay.
- Protaganist Framing: The masked figure appearing throughout the runtime serves as an everyman cipher rather than a fixed character, symbolizing passive observation in a collapsing metropolis.
This approach forced audiences to piece together the narrative thread themselves. Instead of being spoon-fed a story, viewers became active investigators, pausing frames to catch blink-and-you-miss-it flashes of text and cryptic symbols hidden in the background layers.
Decoding the Core Themes of Isolation and Surveillance
At its core, the video critiques modern digital saturation. The recurring presence of closed-circuit camera footage and distorted television transmissions places the viewer in the role of both observer and observed.
When the masked protagonist wanders through the desolate cityscape, the camera angles frequently shift to high-angle surveillance perspectives. This directorial choice highlights a loss of privacy and autonomy. The creators intentionally mirrored the feeling of doomscrolling through social media feeds, where disparate, distressing events flash past without context or resolution.
Another layer of commentary centers on industrial erosion. The crumbling concrete structures featured in the background aren't just generic dystopian backdrops; they represent the hollowed-out infrastructure of mid-century industrial towns left behind by rapid technological shifts.
Common Misinterpretations of the Release
Because of the title and the stark, occult-adjacent imagery, casual viewers often misread the piece as standard shock-rock posturing or lightweight horror pastiche. However, interviews with the production team clarify that the numerical moniker was chosen for its rhythmic cadence and digital aesthetic rather than literal theological commentary.
- The Occult Misconception: Viewers looking for Satanic panic tropes usually miss the subtle economic and sociological cues hidden in the set design.
- The Narrative Confusion: Treating the video as a traditional story with a beginning, middle, and end leads to frustration. It operates closer to abstract poetry than cinema.
By shifting the focus from narrative logic to sensory impact, the video succeeds in capturing a specific mid-2010s cultural mood—one defined by information overload and quiet societal burnout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed the 2017 Six Six Six music video?
The visual direction was led by Eric Jackson alongside core members of the Sixthrz project, utilizing an independent collective workflow.
Was the video shot entirely on location?
No. Only a fraction of the footage was captured on location in abandoned urban zones. The majority of the runtime consists of heavily manipulated archival media and digital textures.
Why is the video titled Six Six Six?
The title was selected primarily for its visual symmetry and punchy sonic impact in tracklists, serving as an ironic nod to sensationalist tropes while subverting them with bleak social commentary.
Where can I watch the original 2017 release?
While independent re-uploads occasionally surface on archival video platforms and Vimeo, official distribution remains limited to niche creator portfolios and specialized alternative music video databases.
