The Clamor Ascends with ‘Staircase Stomp’

The Clamor is a Brooklyn-based post-punk project created by Aaron Louis, who by day is the audio/visual director for the iconic Museum of Modern Art.

And the group’s latest single, “Staircase Stomp,” is supplemented with a highly imaginative music video that recently won Best Animation” at the New York International Film Awards.

“The ‘Staircase Stomp’ music video by The Clamor brings together the meticulous stop-motion artistry of Jody McKee and the dynamic digital animation of Scotty Hull to explore themes of identity and inner conflict,” Louis explains. “With the animator’s haunting visuals, and lyrics that delve into psychological tension, the video blurs the lines between external chaos and internal struggles, offering what I hope is a meaningful reflection on the complexity of self-awareness.”

Also adding to the vibe of the project is the recruitment of legendary album cover artist Bill Smith, whose work includes The Jam’s In The City, The Cure’s Three Imaginary Boys, ABACAB by Genesis and Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love among many others.

Rock & Roll Globe caught up with Mr. Louis to learn more about “Staircase Stomp” and what 2025 has in store for The Clamor.

Please tell me more about the striking single cover and your collaboration with Bill Smith.

For the Staircase Stomp single cover, all I gave Bill was the demo and the lyrics, and I let him take it from there. It would be crazy to try and overdirect someone like Bill Smith. His work has had such an influence on the world’s connection between music and visual art that I had no doubt he’d create something incredible. The result was exactly what I was hoping for- a bold, layered cover that perfectly captures the song’s unsettling mood.

Getting to work with someone whose designs I’ve admired since I was a teen made the experience even more meaningful.

 

What are some of your favorite Bill Smith covers and why?

Bill’s work with The Jam remains some of my favorite, and their now-iconic first album cover, In the City, stands out to me. It perfectly captures the raw energy and youthful spirit of the emerging punk scene, with the band posed against a tiled wall and the spray-painted logo adding a raw, DIY aesthetic that feels so tied to that moment. A few years and albums later, the Sound Affects cover became another favorite.  To me, the collage-like design suggested the album’s blend of post-punk grit, melodic experimentation, and 1960’s pop sensibilities.  These two covers alone highlight Bill’s incredible range and his ability to define a band’s visual identity during such a pivotal time in music.

I also love his work with The Cure, especially on Three Imaginary Boys, Boys Don’t Cry and the “Killing an Arab” single. Each has a mysterious and evocative quality that feels deeply connected to the albums and songs they represent. I implore everyone to check out his book Cover Stories: 5 Decades of Album Art which is a favorite on my bookshelf.  It’s an incredible glimpse into the creative process behind some of the most iconic album artwork ever made.

 

How does your work at MoMA inform the music you create? Does it inspire you to be around all that art?

Being surrounded every day by groundbreaking works and being lucky enough to collaborate with incredible artists is bound to have an influence. It’s not about directly translating what I see into music, but being immersed in that environment pushes me to think differently and stay open to experimentation. It’s a constant reminder of the value of risk-taking and creative exploration, which I try to carry into my own work

 

What inspired the stop-motion animation for “The Staircase Stomp”?

The tactile, slightly eerie quality of stop-motion felt like the perfect match for the song’s themes of identity and inner conflict. The handmade, imperfect charm creates an intimacy that’s also unsettling, which I thought captured the mood of the song beautifully. I had a clear vision for the atmosphere, but Jody McKee’s meticulous attention to detail brought the puppets to life in ways I couldn’t have anticipated grounding the surreal elements in something tangible and relatable. Scotty Hull’s digital animation added another layer of intensity, especially with the mob outside the cabin, heightening the tension and chaos. Together, their work expanded the song’s themes in ways that were both surprising and deeply impactful.

 

What informed the sound of “The Staircase Stomp”?

The sound of Staircase Stomp came from wanting to capture the tension and unpredictability of the lyrics. I wanted it to be driven by a kind of jagged rhythm that felt a bit unsteady, almost like the ground is shifting beneath you. I wanted the music to feel like it was pushing forward, even if it was about to fall apart.

 

The great Alan Douches mastered your music. How did you connect with him and what do you feel his expertise brings to your sound?

I couldn’t agree more with your use of “great.” Alan’s body of work is renowned, spanning groundbreaking albums across genres, from LCD Soundsystem and Animal Collective to The Misfits and Fleetwood Mac. His ability to handle such a wide range of styles with precision and care is truly impressive, and it’s easy to see why so many artists trust him with their music. I connected with Alan through a recommendation from fellow musician Omer Leibovitz, who produced The Clamor’s first album. When you’re working with someone as experienced as Alan, the best approach is to trust their instincts and let their expertise guide the process. He has this incredible ability to make a mix feel expansive and dynamic while keeping its raw energy and emotional impact intact, ensuring the music retains its distinctive character.

 

As a resident of Brooklyn, what’s the music scene like over there from your perspective?

Brooklyn has such a rich and diverse music scene, but I’ll admit I’m not as deeply entrenched in it as I’d like to be.  It’s hard to keep up while balancing everything else. From what I see, though, there’s still a ton of creativity and collaboration happening, and I love seeing the incredible work my friends are doing. It’s exciting to know that so many different styles and voices are coming out of the same borough, and I love that Brooklyn continues to be a place where artists can experiment and push boundaries.

 

What are your plans for the new year? Will you be releasing a full-length album?

For now, I’m focusing on releasing a few more singles and really taking the time I need to explore each one on its own. A second full-length album is definitely on the horizon, but I’m enjoying this more focused approach for now. Creating the Staircase Stomp stop-motion video was such a rewarding experience that it’s inspired me to collaborate with other visual artists in the future. It’s exciting to see how pairing music with different artistic perspectives can reshape the way I approach my own work.

 

VIDEO: The Clamor “Staircase Stomp”