Watch This: The Sun Sets on a Relationship in Emily No Good’s “Space”

On set for Emily No Good's "Space" (Photo by Marshall Tidrick)

Against a setting sun in an open field, the music video for Emily No Good’s new single “Space” chronicles the end of a relationship. Her fifth single under the solo indie rock outlet integrates hypnotic, ethereal vocals, house-inspired beats, and a precariously coordinated dance led by intertwining costumes.

“It’s kind of a little ode to the sun setting on a relationship,” says Emily No Good. “It’s about watching somebody you love grow apart from you, and still being supportive of that person, even though it means creating distance between the two of you.”

Shot during a half-day race against dusk last summer, the video comes from a collaboration between Austin-based femme artists including director Vanessa Pla, cinematographer Ivy Chiu, dancer Aidan Rodgers, costume designer Femme Phlegm, and Emily No Good.

“The coolest part was having such an amazing community of friends show up,” says Pla, who appreciates her crew for pushing through the tight schedule and summer heat. In particular, she highlights camera assistant Sarah Jones’ insistence, at one point, on going for another take despite Pla’s own satisfaction with the previous one.

“It’s very rare to have such a dedicated crew, and one who wants it better than you do,” says the self-taught filmmaker. “It’s all you can ever ask for, and more.”

Further strengthening their bonds, Emily No Good also gave many members of the crew tattoos in exchange for their hard work.

“That makes us kind of like tattoo brothers and sisters now, in a way,” laughs Pla, as she reveals the leopard tattoo on her forearm.

Asked if tattooing informs her music at all, the No Good Tattoo owner says it has emboldened her to release songs with less hesitation: “With tattooing, you do the tattoo and it’s done. There's no going back, and so it makes it a lot easier to be like, ‘You made art, it's there, it's okay to show it to the world’ – have it be what it is, and not overthink it as much.”

Recorded three years ago at Matt Parmenter’s Ice Cream Factory Studio and retouched by Connor McCampbell (TC Superstar) last year, the release of “Space” – together with June single “Tomorrow” – marks the end of a chapter for Emily No Good. Alongside the March launch of her post-punk quartet, Never, the singer/guitarist also intends to begin working on a debut EP under the Emily No Good solo project.

“Now that I'm moving on and working so much on Never, it's time to release these,” says the singer-songwriter. “So I can really focus on Never, start creating new work for the solo project, and stop holding on so tightly to the things that I recorded so long ago.

“This solo project is really turning into something that I can do with full creative control over writing, recording, and releasing. So, in this year and the coming years, I want to just be a little looser with it.”

Watch the golden hour dance video, premiering here, below.