Canadian producer and electro-pop singer Grimes, born Claire Boucher, originally wrote the song “Go” for Rihanna — but it was turned down. Though RiRi probably would have taken it and made it awesome, the way things turned out is just fine. Grimes and collaborator Blood Diamonds decided to claim the track for themselves, releasing it in June. In her hands, the track features screams and drops and echoes; it’s dreamy and it’s weird and works wonderfully.
Now, the song has a video to go with it, it’s completely nuts. Like, next-level crazy — and we mean that in a good way.
The video, co-directed by Grimes and her brother Mac, was inspired by Dante’s Inferno, as she explains on her Tumblr. The different scenes represent a contemporary take on Dante’s infamous circles of Hell. (The EDM clubbing scenes really nail it, because really, what’s more hellish than that?)
Visually, Grimes explains, the video also takes cues from X-Men, Metal Gear and Dune. You’ll also note some pretty clear Game of Thrones influence, along with dancing mimes, epic treks through sand dunes, flashing lights, fish-eye shots, and even some throwback Adidas flip-flops. Yep: this video is nuts. Watch up top.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com