I was over on Uniqlo's Japanese website seeing whether they had come out with any interesting commercials lately when I ran across a little diversion that soon had me transfixed.
It's called the UNIQLOCK.
Basically it's a flash applet that interlaces video snippets with a digital clock that constantly updates the time. What's interesting about it is that the video features lithe dancers, dressed in simple Uniqlo apparel, performing choreography that feels something like a cross between ballet warm-ups and Pee Wee Herman or Mr. Bean. First you see the clock—simple digits resting on white or color backgrounds—then there's a video wipe, and the dancing girls appear. Every few seconds it alternates: clock, video, clock, video. Meanwhile you hear these ongoing music loops that sound like a mash-up of everything from Fats Waller to trance DJ Paul Van Dyk (the music is actually by Fantastic Plastic Machine) .
At first I found myself mesmerized in the same way that you can be mesmerized by a lava lamp in a dance club dungeon at 3 a.m. But five minutes later I felt like I should pull out all my hair and run through my neighborhood screaming (a feeling that quickly subsided after I turned the sound off).
Anyway, if you're a fan of quirky music and video, check it out. You'll also be happy to know that if you like what you see you can upload the clock to your website, or download it to your computer to use as your very own screen saver.
