Deee-Lite’s 1990 hit single Groove Is in the Heart had a vibrant and maximalist music video and highlighted the resurgence of 70’s era aesthetics in the 90's. The music starts alongside moving psychedelic backgrounds with the figures dancing on top, creating a slightly chaotic experience. The video is filled with visual references to the 1970’s, such as the Soul Train intro, the expressive floral typefaces, the disco fashion and the symmetrical collages that are reminiscent of album covers for the Zombies or Jimi Hendrix.

The video was released at the beginning of a new decade, with many reevaluating and pushing back against the Reaganite 80’s over-produced and hyper-consumerist culture. Instead of tightly choreographed scenes like a Michael Jackson music video, Groove is in the Heart feels more loose, handmade and brings back the disco aesthetic that was scrapped in the prior decade. This re-emergence was seen in other contexts too, with the release of movies like Boogie Nights chronicling the Golden Age of Porn or the Godfather Part 3 reviving a classic 70's film.

Deee-Lite's music video fused this nostalgic resurgence with trends of the 90s, using new computerized effects to create old psychedelic compositions. It features 70's funk icon Bootsy Collins and Q-Tip from the iconic 90's rap group A Tribe Called Quest in a single video.

Analyzing this video reminded me of how nostalgia, push-back against current trends and cyclical revivals inform present day design. Much like Deee-Lite celebrating the 70's, there are many present-day examples of design celebrating the democratic web aesthetics of the 90's and pushing against the flat post-iOS looks.