Before we delve into the absurdly good video for Tsar B’s track “Swim”, let’s take a moment in retrospect to a couple of years back when it seemed that just about every blog post contained the compound word ‘alt-R&B’. Musicians and music critics alike were besotted with this modern version of rhythm-and-blues, but there was always that dissenting voice which argued the style was “overdone” or simply “a phase”. One thing no one betted on was a force like Tsar B whose dominant attitude, hard-hitting production and eastern influences would take alternative R&B to a new edge. The Belgian-born star already impressed the TMR team with songs “Myth”, “Fort” and of course “Swim”, casting no doubts on her musical abilities. However, the 22-year-old Justine Bourgeus has taken up the director’s mantle for a video version of “Swim”. From the opening scene there’s a sense that something much deeper is happening than a high-fashion photoshoot; this inkling suddenly unfolds as the model lurches at the photographer and takes his chance for freedom. You know that there’s so much more to the story, but Tsar B holds back and allows the viewer’s imagination to take over. After all, “Swim” is all about escapism. -HT