While performing, Foster the People are often blurry enigmas, surrounded by a haze of sound and light. The mystery leads to an intoxicating show that helps the audience escape reality for an hour or so.

But in a brand-new Ashton Kutcher-produced video project for Thrashlab, Foster the People expose some of the backstage workings of their tour rituals–something they artistically tackled  in their latest video for “Houdini” which features them as pop Marionettes.

Director Brinton Bryan meets the group in Mexico City. In creatively cut shots, we see the band getting ready for their show, their backstage vices, and practicing (and subsequently performing) an amazing mariachi version of “Pumped Up Kicks.”

“Pumped Up Kicks”–Live Mariachi Version

This isn’t the first time Foster the People has worked with mariachi musicians. Sort Of. In their “Warrior” collaboration with A-Trak and Kimbra for Converse, Mark Foster was shown in a luchador-themed music video.

The video utilized green screen technology, so Foster and company were not actually with the mariachis or on the wrestling mat.

“We had such a deadline to work to and we were all kind of on tour at different places, so we just kind of had to work with what we could,” elaborated Kimbra. “Even the song itself, I was recording a lot of those vocals in an airport in Germany, like singing into my Macbook. You know it was a very 21st century collaboration.”

So stoked on how this "rituals" piece turned out! Short doc of us in Guadalajara. here's the link bit.ly/JO8lgX @thrashlab—
Foster The People (@fosterthepeople) May 30, 2012

–Nadia Noir, CBS Radio Los Angeles